Skies of Arcadia: Silver Skies
by Nathan Lambes
Summary: No one ever said life was easy. There are some moments which come and define who a person is for the rest of their life. This is the story of Ryne, Vyse and Fina's only son, and these are the moments that defined and changed his life forever... COMPLETE
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
Wind teased the silvery hair on the back of a young man's head,  
and water lapped gently across his side. In a flicker of movement,  
his eyes fluttered open, taking in his surroundings for the first time.  
They were emerald green, like his mothers. Slowly he rose into a  
sitting position, wiping the sand from the corner of his mouth. It  
took him a while to realize just what had happened, although he will  
never forget. Finally the memories washed upon him, and all he could  
do was lower his face to the sand below, and weep...  
  
*******************************************  
  
"Don't get too close to that reef, Ryne." his mother's voice came  
gently, but still somehow strict. Her bright green eyes flashed sternly,  
and Ry eased the "Silvite's Sorrow" a little further from the rocks  
that threatened to collide with them.  
He didn't argue with his mother, and as far as he could remember,  
never had. Her gentile wisdom had never steered him wrong, and he  
trusted her completely. She was, after all, a living legend, and  
the only remaining pure blooded Silvite. He, on the other hand, was  
only half Silvite. This was evidenced by the silver moon crystal  
embedded in his right hand, though he lacked the control over it his mother  
had gained over the years.  
They called her "Fina the Wise" for it was through her wisdom  
that the War for the Crystals was won. That was nearly  
twenty years ago, and still a hushed silence would come into a room  
whenever she entered. She didn't like all that attention, which is  
why she usually stayed at home on Crescent Isle, and left his father  
Vyse to handle things.  
His father seemed to enjoy his time in the limelight, much more  
so than his mother. He was always off doing something or another  
in his ship the "Phoenix". After the war he'd returned his renowned  
ship the Delphinus to King Enrique, who'd received it gladly. Valua  
had been targeted by Black Pirates, who'd regularly raided the  
fledgling city being built on the ashes of the old Valuan capital. When  
the "Delphinus" joined his arsenal once again, raiding ceased, and a  
grand city was built, no longer divided into the upper and lower halves.  
Noble family lines were all but forgotten, and prosperity rained upon  
all citizens of Valua.  
Then there was Aika. No one had seen her for nearly seventeen  
years, ever since his parents were wed. Everyone had known that  
she was in love with Vyse... except Vyse himself. The night of the  
wedding Aika disappeared into the night, taking a small ship she  
called the "Wings of Gold". There had been sightings of her of course.  
Her face was as well known as the rest of them. The last anyone knew,  
she was captain of an all female pirate ship, that raided black pirates  
and hunted for lost treasure.  
"Ease back on the throttle, Ry. Shrine Isle is just ahead."  
Ryne did as his mother asked, finally seeing the small island for  
himself. Ever since the lost continent of Soltis disappeared under the  
clouds once again, taking with it the lives of those fighting against  
Glacien, the island had been turned into a graveyard. There were  
small monuments all round the isle, honoring those who gave their  
lives for the cause of freedom. As long as he could remember He and  
his mother had come to this place to pray for their souls.  
  
******************************  
  
A shiver ran down Ry's spine. The sun was beginning to set, and the  
Silver Moon becoming more visible in the cold night sky. This place  
was eerie in the day. He didn't even want to think of what night was like.  
He was scared, though his mother was only about twenty yards away,  
kneeling at a strange unmarked grave, the same one she visited every  
year. She never talked about whose grave it was, but Ry knew it had  
to be her childhood friend. The name Ramirez was never spoken by  
anyone, and no child has ever bore that name since. Finally he saw his  
mother stand, wipe a lone tear from her eye, and make her way toward him.  
"Come Ry... Your father is waiting at Pirates Isle.." She said softly.  
Suddenly, the ground around his started to quake violently, and he  
heard his mother scream as she fell to the ground.  
  
"MOM!" He shouted, stumbling over to her.  
  
He felt a searing pain in his right hand, and looking forward he saw a  
white light emanating from his mother's chest. He heard a roar from  
above, and only had enough time to glimpse a sliver shape  
free falling from above, before the pain became more than he could bear,  
  
and he drifted into a deep blackness...  
  
**************************** 


	2. Chapter 1 Some New Faces

Chapter 1 – Some New Faces  
  
Ryne lifted his head from the sand, his tear streaked face shimmering from the tiny rocks clinging to his sticky face. There was nothing he could do for his mother now. She was gone, and he had let that… thing… take her from him. Slowly, deliberately, he lifted himself out of the sand. If he was going to save his mother, he was going to have to save himself first, and that meant getting off this island.  
  
Ryne tousled his hair to try and get the sand out of it. His usually platinum hair was now a light brown, and now that his hair was dry, all of it that stuck was now dropping into his eyes. He thought about putting his goggles on to keep the stuff out of his eyes, but once he got them out of his tangled hair, they were as dirty as him. With a heavy sigh, he squeezed them back onto his head, finding them of use at keeping his unruly hair out of his eyes.  
  
His father had told him once before of how he'd been ship wreaked and stranded once before when he was seventeen, but that had been ages ago, before he had saved the world and become a living legend. Besides, Ryne was only sixteen, barely old enough to go on raids with his father, let alone survive alone in the wilderness.  
  
He picked up a smooth stone and tossed it over the edge of the small island, watching fall into deep sky until it disappeared from view. Looking down, he could see the vortex that swirled above the remains of Soltis, and knew he hadn't been thrown all that far from shrine isle, although it was out of sight.  
  
"Dad'll look for me…" He said reassuringly to himself, just to be able to hear a voice. "Then we'll find Mom, and kick the tails of whoever took her…"  
  
That is if she's still alive…  
  
Ryne tried to push that thought from his head, but it kept popping to the surface of his mind, haunting him until he fell into a fitful sleep…  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jay! On deck now! Trouble on the port bow!" A gruff voice called from above deck.  
  
Jaycera sighed and rolled over in her cot, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  
  
"Why can't trouble ever wait for a decent hour of day…" She mumbled trying her best to slip something decent on before joining her brother Leos on deck.  
  
Quickly, she ran up the stairs and opened the hatch to reveal her brother, swiping away at half a dozen loopers, who seemed to be enjoying their little game which seemed to consist of smacking him in the face, dodging the inevitable slice of a cutlass, and then ramming the back of his exposed head. Jay tried her best to hold back a laugh, though was hideously unsuccessful.  
  
"This is your trouble?!" She said between fits of laughter.  
  
"Yeah, funny for you, painful for me. Now would you help me out here?"  
  
Jay strode calmly on deck, brushing her wavy raven hair out of her face. Standing about ten feet away from the playing loopers, she spread her feet apart and held her out in front of her, pointing toward her brothers "attackers". After a minute of deep concentration, she opened her eyes and with a loud commanding voice yelled the word "Pyri" And the area around Leos erupted into flame. The loopers, though not harmed, were sufficiently uneased and decided that their game was no longer fun. With a childish laughs and tongues stuck out, the retreated into the sky.  
  
Jay laughed and walked over to her brother who was wincing and rubbing his head woefully. Teasingly, she reached up and tousled his dark hair, drawing a cry a pain from him and look that spoke of a quick death. Jay only rolled her eyes, and followed him into the cabin of the small ship, lovingly christened the Seventh Gigas.  
  
"Want some help with those battle wounds?" Jay asked in mock innocence.  
  
"No thanks Sis… I think this cut on my cheek'll make me look like Vyse." He said with a grin.  
  
"Yeah, maybe… If looks, brains, and personality come with it then defiantly. By all means keep it."  
  
Leos clutched his heart, pulling an imaginary arrow out of it, and holding onto the wall for support.  
  
"I think I'll need that nursely touch now…" He said collapsing to the floor and letting his tongue flop out of his mouth.  
  
"Dream on, loser."  
  
Jaycera jumped briskly over the body of her "dead" older brother and made her way to the bridge, checking over the various gauges and trying to figure out where they were, without having to ask her brother. He probably wouldn't have giver her a straight answer anyhow…  
  
"Windmill Isle." She heard him call from the floor.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We're going to Windmill Isle." He stated again. "We're dropping off some food spices to Dyne's group of gentlemen."  
  
"Dyne? As in Vyse's father? The leader of the Blue Rouges of Pirate Isle? That Dyne?"  
  
"Yeah, sure Sis. He needs spice too. He pays pretty well too…"  
  
Jay snorted ruefully through her nose.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure the father of the Savior of Arcadia would be pretty well off. Aside from all the treasure he steals from other ships…"  
  
Leos rolled his eyes  
  
"Jay, Blue Rouges only steal from armed ships looking for trouble, and Black Pirates."  
  
"Yeah, but where do you think the Black Pirates got it from…" Jay said, falling into silence.  
  
It was an old argument of theirs. Jay felt that piracy in any manner or form was wrong, no matter whom you were stealing it from. Leos agreed with the Blue Rogue way of thinking. This division had plagued them ever since their parents had died. Sometimes she wondered if she's think the same as her brother if they hadn't died. They had been Blue Rogues themselves once. Before Leos came around and things just got too risky with children along. After that, they'd started a small shipping company that exported Yafutoman spices around Arcadia. That is, until their ship was attacked by Black Pirates…  
  
"Sis, you gotta stop that…" She heard her brother say softly, who was now at the wheel.  
  
"Stop what?" She said, trying to sound oblivious.  
  
"Zoning out. Crawling into that dark corner of your mind, and wondering "what if". It's not going to do anything but depress you, and distract you from your work."  
  
"Jeez, sorry Captain." Jay said sarcastically as she could, trying to lighten her mood. "I'll ask permission next time."  
  
"You better. Next time I'll throw you off for insubordination."  
  
  
  
  
  
Dyne bit his lip uncomfortably. I'm getting too old for this, he thought to himself. He could see his son's scarred face inches from his, his view obstructed by the silver gleam of their swords, but he could tell his son was grinning by the gleam in his eye.  
  
"Tied yet, old man?" Vyse's voice mocked.  
  
"I'm as stubborn as you are Kid, and you know it."  
  
Vyse smiled and pushed harder on his cutlass, trying to increase the distance between them, but his smile quickly vanished as his father actually pulled his blade away from the embrace and stepped back from the stumbling pirate. One swift kick to the rear brought the younger man's face to the dirt. Dyne let out a hearty laugh as he tried to help his son up, but instead only got a grunt and a shove backward.  
  
"I can do it…" Vyse grumbled, his pride wounded.  
  
"Well at least that pretty wife of yours didn't see it." Dyne said still laughing. "It'd ruin her Savior of Arcadia image of you."  
  
"Naw, I'd ruin Ry's image of me more…" Vyse said softly, thinking of his young son, "Hey, I just realized something… You two have the same hair color!"  
  
"Yeah, but I'm about 50 years older. Makes all the difference in the world." Dyne said, taking the "old man" crack better than Vyse had hoped. "Where is the boy anyhow?"  
  
"With Fina at Shine Isle." Vyse said without hesitation.  
  
"I thought they left last night."  
  
"They did. Sometimes it takes her a long time…" Vyse said, his voice trailing off into the distance. "Anyway, they should be getting back soon. It's no time to worry yet."  
  
A loud, piercing sound filled the underground cavern of Pirates Isle, and Father and Son ran to the surface in unison, both wondering what was going on.  
  
"Sir, ship approaching!" Dyne's new first mate Halden from the lookout point. "Small sail boat sir, are we expecting company?"  
  
Dyne rubbed the small amount of white hair he'd allowed to grow on his chin.  
  
"Well, yeah, we are expecting Ryne and Fina home any time now."  
  
"Sorry, sir, It's not the Sorrow. It seems to be a cargo ship sir." 


	3. Chapter 2 The Search for the Son of a H...

Chapter 2 – The Search for the Son of A Hero  
  
Ryne lay outstretched on the beach, letting the cool mist of the waterfall caress his face and bare chest. The large silver moon dominated the sky above, causing the moon crystal in the back of his hand to glow softly, illuminating the small area. He sighed softly and watched the stars. As a child, he and his father had done this regularly, his father teaching his the various constellations that would help guide him through the vast skies. It had become a favorite pastime of his, along with sword training, which his father also instructed. Every once in a while his Grandfather Dyne would "Learn him a thing or two", but those times were getting few and far between.  
  
Ryne watched as an unusually slow falling star made it's way into the Arcadian atmosphere. He followed it's trail until it disappeared behind one of the sky rifts that made Mid-Ocean impassable to smaller ships. Ryne grinned with the thought of trying to find it with his Father and the crew of the Phoenix. From the look of it, it had been a pretty sizable moonstone and would fetch a hefty price depending on what color it was…  
  
Listen to me… he thought, laughing to himself, I sound just like my father…  
  
Ry shook his head, and got up out of the grass that was now his bed. If he couldn't sleep, he might as well work on his training…  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can't believe we got to meet the Vyse!" Leos exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. "The guy's will never believe this…"  
  
"Oh settle down, you meathead." Jay said, rolling her eyes as she often did when her brother got carried away. "He's just a regular guy who got caught up in some extraordinary circumstances. He even said so himself."  
  
"Awww, he's just being modest. C'mon, most girls your age are gaga over the guy."  
  
"Oh yeah, never mind the fact that he's 37 and married!"  
  
Leos shrugged, "I hear he's got a son who's the same age as you…" He said with a wink.  
  
"You seriously need to get a life of your own…"  
  
Leos said something else, but Jaycera just turned back to her instruments and ignored him. She hated it when he got like this. She knew he was just trying to get her to act like a normal sixteen-year-old girl, but that was the problem… she wasn't a normal sixteen-year-old girl. Her childhood had been stolen from her when she was only ten, and she wasn't going to go looking for it, let alone carry on childish fantasies about a legendary sky captain and his teenage son.  
  
The Sky around them was inky black, as the Silver moon had slipped behind a large cloud. The only light in the sky was a strange glow coming from a small island not far from Shrine Isle. She pointed it out to her brother.  
  
"Probably just some hardcore campers." He said, dismissing the oddity with a wave of his hand. "Nothing to look into."  
  
"Didn't Vyse say that his wife and Son were at Shine Isle?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Well there's no ship there, and they've been gone for almost two days. Maybe that's them, shipwrecked."  
  
"You think too much Jay."  
  
"I'm just saying that we should check it out. I'm sure there'd be some money involved…"  
  
"It's not the money I'm worried about. What if it turns out to be pirates? Or a hidden base like Pirate Isle? I'm not risking it."  
  
"Whatever you say Capt'n…" Jay said feeling a bit put off. "Hey, I need to go get some fresh air. You mind?"  
  
"Sure, just don't fall off the boat." Her brother said, not taking his eyes off the expanse of sky that lay before them.  
  
Jay nodded and left her post, making her way down the short hall that separated the cabin from the above decks. The cool night air licked at her dark curls, threatening to turn them into worse tangles than she dealt with every morning when she got up. She ignored this however, and briskly removed her vest and over shirt, laying them down on the cold wooden deck for use as a pillow. With a sigh of contentment, she began to survey the stars, noting the familiar formations she'd been taught since she was a child. Then something else caught her eye. The silvery glint of a falling star streaking unusually slowly across the night sky. She followed its leisurely path until it disappeared behind the Mid-Ocean rift. Now that ought to be worth something… she thought to herself, but quickly pushed the notion from her head, realizing the she nor her brother had the strength or equipment to carry such a large stone.  
  
Underneath the silent vigil of the stars, Jay felt safe and untouchable. As if the very moons would come to her aid if she asked them to. If was in this state that Jay drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a better life. Dreaming of her parents. Dreaming of love lost, and love yet to find…  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jay, wake up." A muffled voice said, somewhere in the real world. Jay didn't want to comply.  
  
"Jaycera, c'mon, we've reached Sailors Isle." The voice said again, this time joined by a gentle rocking. Jay snorted and rolled over onto her stomach, cradling her discarded clothes. The next time, the call wasn't so gentle. Jay snapped into consciousness as a bucket of water was dumped over top of her.  
  
"What was that for?!" Jay yelled, crossing her arms over her wet shirt in an attempt to cover her chest.  
  
"I need your help loading some supplies onto the ship." Leos stated simply. "That is, after you change into something decent."  
  
Jay glared daggers at her brother and stormed down to her room, quickly changing her clothes, trying in vain to dry her hair, and then joining her brother by a stack of crates on solid land. Without saying a word to him, she grabbed one of the smaller ones and made her way down the cargo area, and setting it down, none too gently.  
  
"Hey, easy there slugger." Leos said from behind her. "What'd that box do to you?"  
  
"Fraternized with the enemy." She spat, still angry.  
  
"Calm down Sis, it was only a little water." Her brother said with a smile and a pat on the back. "It's not going to kill you."  
  
"No, but it might kill you…" Jay mumbled under her breath. "You're going to pay for this, you know that right?"  
  
"Yeah, I know, but the opportunity was too good to miss."  
  
Jay punched her older brother in the arm affectionately, letting him know that she forgave him, but he wasn't off the hook yet. The rest of the loading was done in silence, mostly because there was nothing to say.  
  
"Hey, I'm going to go into the tavern to get a drink alright?" Her brother said, breathing deeply and raggedly. "I need to wet my mouth a bit."  
  
"Alright, I think I'll go check out the Sailor's guild to check into some potential jobs. Meet cha back at the ship in an hour."  
  
Leos gave her a thumbs up, and practically ran to the nearby tavern. Jay shook her head. He'd give any excuse to get a little alcohol in his system. This was one of the better ones she'd heard in a while, but she could still see through it.  
  
She made her way through the city gates and made a sharp right into the Sailor's guild. Inside the small building she saw eye-patched manager sitting behind his desk, arguing with a thin man with thick black wild hair held up by a pair of goggles.  
  
"I'm telling you it's not there anymore." The man insisted, jamming his index finger into the rough wood countertop. "Just a big gaping hole."  
  
The Sailor's Guild manager ran a hand through his thinning hair with an exasperated look on his face.  
  
"Are you sure the heat wasn't playing with your eyes Domingo? A monument like the Temple of Pyryn doesn't just disappear overnight…"  
  
"Yeah, well that's exactly what I'm telling you happened. I anchored in Nasr for the night, in clear view of the temple, and when I woke up, it was gone."  
  
The older man pushed his wire rim glasses further onto his nose.  
  
"The best I can give you right now is 100 in gold for a rumor. If I hear more reports you can collect the full amount the next time you come in."  
  
The famed explorer sighed heavily and collected the small sum of money without another word being said, while the manager busied himself writing in the large journal behind the desk. The tall man slid past her, without taking much notice, and went out the door, seeming none too pleased. Jay walked up to the desk, and the man behind it smiled and stood to greet her, his hand outstretched.  
  
"Jaycera Delasari, to what do I owe this great honor?" He said taking her hand and smiling widely.  
  
"What else? Money." Jay said in return, not even trying to echo his polite tone. "Any shipping jobs come in lately. You know how much we can load."  
  
"Hmmmm…" The manager shuffled around behind his desk, eventually pulling out a large, red bound book. "Nope, I'm sorry. All the freelance loads I have right now are too high a capacity for your ship."  
  
"Oh…" Jay sighed, disappointed.  
  
"There is one thing that came in this morning, though every ship in the sky will be trying for it with the amount that tagged onto it…"  
  
Jay lifted an eyebrow. "Sounds good to me, what is it?"  
  
The man opened a folder and pulled out a sheet of paper with the picture of a young man. He was handsome by most standards, but the white hair that covered his head gave him the look of someone far older than sixteen years.  
  
"Who is it?" Jay said softly, studying the picture.  
  
"Ryne Vyse." The manager said simply.  
  
Jay's gaze grew stony.  
  
"Great, just what we need… a missing air pirate." Jay muttered.  
  
"If you're not interested, I'm going to need that paper back. I'm sure there's going to be quite a demand by noon once the word gets out. I have a sheet for his mother as well."  
  
Jay looked at the face on the paper once again. Slowly, she folded up the paper and shoved it into the pouch at her side, and held out her hand for the second sheet.  
  
"I'll take it." 


	4. Chapter 3 Many Meetings

Chapter 3 - Many Meetings  
  
"Told ya so." Jay said simply as she shoved the two slips of paper into her brother's chest. Her brother looked at her quizzically as he peeled the partially crumpled papers off of his shirt. He studied them for a moment, his brow knit in deep thought. Jay could see his fingers working furiously, and knew he calculating.  
  
"That's more money than we make in about year and a half." He said finally, seemingly pleased with himself.  
  
"Oh, you're a quick one." Jay said, picking through her brother's left over food. "I thought you said you were going to get a drink."  
  
"I was, but someone convinced me otherwise." Leos said, glancing toward the young red headed waitress, who smiled and waved at him. Jay shook her head and rolled her eyes.  
  
"You're hopeless, you know that right?"  
  
"Nope, my hope is standing right over there." He said, not taking his eyes off the girl.  
  
"You say that about every pretty face we pass. Trust me, this is going nowhere. Now c'mon, we've got to look for this kid and his mother." Jay said, getting up from the table, and trying to get him to do the same. Leos sat and chewed his food thoughtfully, much the annoyance of his younger sibling.  
  
"You do know that every ship in the sky will be looking for them right?" he said, after swallowing his food. Jay smirked and put one hand on her hip.  
  
"Of coarse, but we're one step ahead of anyone else." She said mysteriously, dangling the little tidbit, and waiting for her brother to take the bait. Leos wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, intentionally stalling to try and further her aggravation.  
  
"Ok, tell me. What do we know, that no one else does?" He said finally, putting his hands behind his head and propping his feet up on the seat across from him. Jay's eyes lit up as she pulled out the seat his feet were rested on and sat down, leaning over the table.  
  
"We know where they are." She said quietly trying not to draw attention to them. Leos grinned and scratched the back of his head.  
  
"You're talking about that light we saw last night near Shine Isle, aren't you?"  
  
"Well duh, moron. Put two and two together. Or do you need me to spell it out for you?"  
  
"Please, spell it out for me you would, your highness." Leos said cockily, causing his sister bury her face in her hands.  
  
"Why do I put up with you." She muttered, her voice muffled. Leos reached over and patted her head.  
  
"Because we're family. Now really, tell how you figure that light over there was them."  
  
"Alright." Jay said, lifting her head and looking at her brother with a piercing blue gaze. "Let's make a list of what we know. A) Vyse himself told us that his son and wife were at the Shine Isle graveyard three days ago. B) Yesterday, we saw a strange light coming from a small island near Shine Isle. C) I am holding the search papers that state plainly that they are, in fact, missing. Need any more hints?"  
  
"Nope, I think that about covers it." Her sibling said, trying to pick something out of his teeth with a small knife.  
  
"And it doesn't excite you that we're pretty much set for about eighteen months?"  
  
"I won't get excited until I get to see the money." He said simply, putting the knife back into its sheath. "Why are you so excited about it anyway? I thought you hated pirates, not to mention big famous pirates."  
  
"I do." She said softly, fingering the blue moonstone that hung around her neck. "But, if we can do this, we can finally take a vacation. That's something we haven't done since." Jay's voice trailed off, as her eyes seemed to focus on something distant. Without conscious thought, she began to clutch the stone fiercely, it's smooth edges indenting her skin. Leos gently reached over and uncurled her fingers from it, bringing her attention back to him.  
  
"C'mon Sis." He said, standing up, still holding onto her hand. "Let's go find us the son of a Hero."  
  
****************************************  
  
Ryne lay cross-legged on his bed of grass, his eyes closed in deep concentration, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of face until it reached the peak of his chin and dropped silently on his lap. His stomach roared in protest to the emptiness that had become all too familiar to him in the three days that he'd been here, though he didn't let this fact consume his thoughts. The only thing that mattered right now was the rock.  
  
It wasn't special by any standards, and was even quite ugly. Its facetted edges had been digging into his back throughout the night, and strengthened his resolve to rid himself of it. His right hand, stretched over it, began to glow softly as he channeled the energy of the moons through it. The moons give us strength; the familiar words of mother came, filling his head with past lessons. Anything is possible with the full aid of the moons; all you need do is ask.  
  
Ryne concentrated on this last phrase and uttered a quick prayer to the moons for their help. Through them he could see the rock clearly, see how far it dug into the sand, know it's weight and true size. A grin started to flit across his face as he began to imagine the rock dissolving, slipping away slowly, and blowing away with the wind. In his mind's eye he could clearly see that the rock was gone. He opened his eyes excitedly and stared down at the spot where the rock once was. or still was.  
  
The full aid of the moons comes only when the need is great.  
  
Ry sighed and got up, his legs buckling under his weight. How long did I sit there? He wondered silently. Oh well. at least if got my mind off of food.  
  
*****************************************  
  
The night air was cool and refreshing as it danced over the face of an impatient six-year-old girl, rocking on her heels as she grasped the railing of the widow's watch atop their Mid-Ocean home. Her bright blue eyes scan the horizon, searching for the familiar shape of her father's ship, and the potential gift that may be in tow. Behind her, her mother watches her, careful not to let her slip over the edge of the railing. She is just as anxious for the return of her husband, though not for the same reasons as the little girl she watched over.  
  
Silently, a sleek ship pulls through the cloud cover, it's sails billowing in the gentle wind. A merchant flag waves over the crow's nest, in which a figure becomes visible, waving their arms furiously, welcoming the pair as they come nearer to dock. The girl runs, her long curly hair trailing behind her, her only thought of her father's return. When she arrives at the dock she finds her father leaning on a post, awaiting her arrival. Without a second thought she flings herself into his strong arms, embracing him as only a child would.  
  
"What'dij'ya bring me?" She asks excitedly, able to contain herself no longer. Wordlessly, her father reaches into the breast pocket of his sleeveless coat and pulls out an intricately woven gold chain, a transparent blue moonstone hanging brilliantly from the center. Undoing the clasp at the back, he reaches down and places it around her neck. The small girl clutches it her small hands and looks up to her father, beaming brightly.  
  
"I love you daddy."  
  
**************************************************  
  
"Alright Jay, which one was it now?"  
  
Jay jumped, startled back into the real world. She looked over at her brother who was manning the wheel, realized she was still holding onto her necklace, and let go of it with a look of surprise.  
  
"What?" She asked, trying to recover quickly.  
  
"Which island was it?" Her brother repeated, not taking his sight from the skies ahead of them.  
  
"Oh, yeah." She said quietly, walking closer to the windows for a better look, though the setting sun made it slightly more difficult. "It was that one over there. Southwest of Shine Isle."  
  
"I hope you're right about this Jay." Leos said, "Otherwise, we'd be wasting a whole lot of fuel for nothing."  
  
"Trust me." Jay said, giving him the flashiest grin she could muster. Leos ignored it and busied himself with pointing the ship in the right direction. Jay felt the ship lurch slightly as the deck she was standing on became significantly less level. Leos grinned as he looked back at his flailing sister.  
  
"Oh yeah, hold on." He said, casually.  
  
"Thanks for the warning." Jay said, her arms locked in a vice grip onto her station.  
  
As the small island began to fill the window, Jay began to see it more clearly. It was fairly small, having a diameter of about twenty meters around, and was covers with trees and various other forms of foliage. A small trickle of water was flowing over the side of it, and making its decent into the dark depths of deep sky. Through the tree cover, she could see a small pond with pieces of wood floating in it, which cemented her theory in her mind, though she could see no sign as of yet that told of people being there.  
  
"We're going to have to get as close to island as we can, anchor it, and go down in a life boat." Her brother said, surveying the task ahead of them. Slowly, he brought the ship close to the island, turning slightly so that the left side of the boat was facing the land, and dipping down a bit more, trying to stay as level to the shore as he could. With the flip of a switch, he opened the left side cargo compartment that housed the two small life rafts.  
  
"We'll, get down there Sis, time's a wastin." Leos said slapping her on the back, and giving her a shove toward the stairs.  
  
"Hey, wait a sec." She said, struggling against her brother's grip. "You're not coming with me?"  
  
"Nope, it's only a three person raft." He said, letting her go. "And I really don't want to take both of them of one will do the job perfectly." Jay glared at her brother, and bit down on her lip.  
  
"I hate you." She grumbled, unlatching the door in front of her.  
  
"Naw, you love me."  
  
Jay sighed and shut the door behind her, missing her brother's last comment. A harsh wind was whipping through storage area, licking at Jay's exposed arms and stomach, making her wish she'd worn her overcoat. Shivering, she hopped into the closest raft, working the small console skillfully until it hummed to life and hovered inches off if the wooden decking. Carefully, she gripped the two yokes and eased the boat out of the large wooden doors, careful not to let it scratch the sides. The last thing she needed was more material for Leos to tease her about.  
  
The dimming twilight, and the wind made it a little harder for her to make a soft landing, but she managed with all the skill of a veteran pilot. She landed on the sandy area close to the water, and jumped over the edge of the small raft. Her eyes scanned the edge of the small beach, squinting in the dim light. She was just about to call out, when she spotted someone, lying just in front of the tree line, shirtless, and sleeping on a bed of grass. Quietly, so a not to disturb him yet, she made her way over to him, kneeling at his side. For a moment she watched him, listened the slow, steady rhythm of his breath, watching his chest rise and fall. Jay sighed. Too bad you had to be an Air Pirate.  
  
With no further hesitation, Jay leaned over him and shook him gently. Surprised, Ry's eyes fluttered open. Suddenly, he became aware of the girl leaning overtop of him, her bright blue eyes staring straight into his.  
  
"Am I dreaming?" He said, pressing his eyes shut and shaking his head, as if to clear it.  
  
"Want me to pinch you or something?" She said, giving him a lopsided grin. "C'mon, let's get you out of here and into some clothes." Ryne smiled weakly and grabbed the rolled up shirts behind his head and put them on, before getting up and following Jay's slow gait to the raft. Jay glanced over at him as he caught up.  
  
"So. where's your Mother?" She asked, keeping her voice even. The fact that she wasn't with him said a lot. Ryne just stared down at the ground, not answering her for fear of losing control of his emotions. They walked the rest of the way to the raft in silence.  
  
"I'm sorry." Jay said finally, once they reached the small boat. "I know what it's like to lose a parent." Ryne looked up at her, green eyes blazing in defiance.  
  
"She's not dead." He stated forcefully, then slipping back into silence. Jay didn't say anything. She'd gone through the same thing when her parents had died, and the best thing for her do was probably to drop it and leave it alone.  
  
"Well. I'm Jaycera Delasari." She said, quickly changing the subject and extending her hand, which he took.  
  
"Ryne Vyse." He said simply.  
  
"I know." She said, pulling the search information out of her pocket and showing it to him. "We've been looking for you." Ryne took the paper, and looked it over.  
  
"That's my dad." he said softly. "I'm not worth nearly that much."  
  
"Yeah, well you are to me at the moment, so could you get in the boat?" Jay said, hopping into the boat, her fingers flying over the controls. Ry briskly jumped into the tiny boat, sitting down on the floor and wrapping his arms around his legs. Jay lifted off the small island, the sun now completely gone, her ship barely visible, and the wind tearing at her tiny raft. Ryne winced as he was knocked against the back of the boat, by a sudden burst of air. Jay wrestled with the controls, the wind whipping her long ponytail around her neck, until she finally managed to work it into the bay doors, where Leos was waiting, his arms crossed.  
  
"And where have you been, children?" He said, trying his best to keep a straight face. Jay set the ship down, and hopped out.  
  
"Give it a rest, moron." Leos ignored his sister and strode past her to the silver haired newcomer, who was making his way out of the life raft and rubbing his shoulders. He took hand a shook it vigorously.  
  
"Leos Delasari, of Delasari Shipping. Pilot of the cargo ship the Seventh Gigas, and currently, your rescuer. If there's anything you need, let me know." Ryne smiled weakly.  
  
"Got any food?"  
  
************************************  
  
Ryne ate ravenously. After three days of eating nothing, his stomach felt like it was going to digest itself. Leos had shown him to a small bunk room, which he told him was his for the night, and then brought him a large tray of food comprised of mostly large fruits and dried meats. He didn't know what the meat was, but at the moment it was divine. The fruits had also been welcome, and his face was dripping with orange colored goo. Finally satisfied, he settled down into the comfortable bed, resting his head on his hands. His mind started to wander as he slowly dropped off into unconsciousness. He pictured his mother, of her green eyes shining and her smile.  
  
************************************  
  
Jay lay in her bed, enjoying the gentle rocking of the boat, her eyes closed. Many thoughts raced through her head, but there was one thing that kept popping up unto the surface of her mind. A silver haired boy, sleeping gently on the beach, the wind teasing his wild hair. She kept trying to push it out of her mind, but so far it hadn't been working. Don't do this to yourself Jay. You can't fall for an air pirate. Finally, in desperation, she got out of bed and pulled a chair to the window, looking out to the vast skies, and gazing up at the Silver moon. She watched the unusually slow decent of a silver moonstone, as it made it's way toward Arcadia, landing surprising close to where they currently were. Jay sighed, and returned to her bed, still fighting off thoughts of the man in the room across from hers. 


	5. Chapter 4 A Turn of Events

Chapter 4 – A Turn of Events  
  
It was a lazy night on Pirate's Isle. Though the wind was beginning to become almost gale force, in the young lookout Daiyan's opinion. He didn't like being up on the smaller lookout island. He felt as if the whole thing might just float off one day, with him on it, a thought which his mother had cemented in his head for the past four years. He had the job only because he had the best eyes out of all the crew, a trait he was seriously beginning to hate about now.  
  
He shivered as the wind blew down his shirt and pulled his scarf tighter around his neck. The weather was unusually chilly for mid ocean. Usually his slit-up pirate's uniform would be hot, but now her were wishing he'd not put the strategically placed rips into it.  
  
He was so chilled that even his keen eyes didn't notice the small silvery object streaking its way toward Pirate's Isle. Until there was nothing he could do about it that is…  
  
  
  
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Ryne snorted and fell out of his bed, flailing about on the floor, wondering what happened.  
  
"Jeez Kid, I only opened the curtains."  
  
Ry pulled the tangled sheets off of his face and blinked groggily. Leos was kneeled down beside him and looked him in the face.  
  
"Awful clumsy for an Air Pirate." He said, smirking. "Here, let me help you with that." He said, pulling an end of the sheet, freeing the boy from his silky prison.  
  
"Thanks…" Ryne said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I've been kind of uptight the past couple of days…" Leos held out his hands.  
  
"No need to explain to me, Kid." Ryne smiled appreciatively, as Leos got up and turned toward the door. "Though you might want to put some clothes on before my sister comes down to take a peek."  
  
Ryne felt his face grow hot and nodded as Leos closed the door behind him, shaking his head as he went. Ry sighed as the older man left him alone, and searched for his shirt and pants, which ended up being under the bed. He wasn't sure how they got there, being as he didn't exactly remember undressing and going to bed. Ry pulled the black sleeveless undershirt over his head and tucked it into his pants, then looked around for his thicker white over shirt. As hard as he looked though, he couldn't seem to find it. Finally, he gave up and left the room, finding his way back to the cabin. No one was there, though through the window he could see Leos working at pulling the anchor up. Without a second thought, Ryne joined him on the deck taking one of the posts and helping Leos push. Finally, after when seemed like an eternity, the anchor clicked up against the hull of the small boat. Ryne wiped the sweat off his brow, breathing a little deeply. Leos however, didn't even look as if he'd been doing anything.  
  
"How the heck do you manage that thing by yourself?" Ryne said, between breaths. Leos grinned and flexed his muscles.  
  
"Years of practice." He said simply, turning on his heel and heading back inside. Ryne trailed him.  
  
"Need help with anything?" he asked as they entered the boat, the door slamming behind him.  
  
"Yeah, go get Jaycera. I think she's below decks working on the laundry. Tell her I need her at her post."  
  
Ryne nodded as Leos split away from him and entered the cabin. Ry wasn't exactly sure how to get below decks, but he wasn't about to admit it. A boat this size couldn't be too hard to explore. After a few moments of looking around, he saw a set of stairs leading downward and walked down them with a slow, quiet gait. As his head cleared the last floor, he could see a row of clothes hanging from the ceiling and he heard a soft grinding noise. Quietly, he pulled away the blue shirt that was obstructing his view. Jaycera was kneeling next to a large bucket, rubbing his shirt against the washboard.  
  
She was wearing a tight, dark blue, formfitting shirt with a white vest over top of it, and baggy brown pants. Her curly hair was pulled behind her in a large ponytail, though snarls were pulling loose and hanging in front of her face. Ryne watched silently for a moment, unable to say anything. Finally, as she brought her head up to brush away some rogue curls that were tickling her face, she noticed him. Startled, she dropped his shirt into the soapy water.  
  
"What, are you doing?!" She yelled defensively. "How long have you been standing there?" Ry's face turned more shades of red than he knew were possible, his white hair making it stand out all the more.  
  
"I…I'm sorry." He stammered. "Your brother said he wants you at your post." Jay sighed and pushed herself back onto her feet, brushing the hair out of her face.  
  
"And how long ago was that?" She asked venomously. Ryne merely shrugged apologetically. Jay rolled her eyes. "Fine, you can wash your shirt on your own." She said as she whisked by him, on her way up to the cabin. Ryne sighed deeply, still embarrassed, and slipped his hands into the soapy water to find his wet shirt.  
  
Why do I have to be such a moron…?  
  
**********************************  
  
Why did I have to be so mean to him…? Jay thought, as she swiftly made her way up the stairs. Because he's an Air Pirate, that's why, another part of her mind answered. Jay sighed. Not all Air Pirates had to be bad did they? Jay shook her head, not believing the things that were going through it. Of course all Air Pirates were bad! They stole from people. It didn't matter whom they were stealing from, it was still stealing.  
  
Jay finally made it to the bridge of the ship, silently taking up her spot. Leos seemed not to notice for a while, then looked back at her, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"What took so long? Trying to seduce our meal ticket?" He asked, in mock seriousness. Jay sighed and gave him her death stare.  
  
"Yeah, I'm now pregnant with a hero's grandson. Now, if you're quite finished I'd like to get to work planning our course." Jay said, grabbing a pencil and studying the map that was laid out on the small table next to her. Leos made a ffsstt, sound through his teeth.  
  
"I can find Pirate's Isle, no sweat. I don't need you to plan us a course." He said, waving her off with his arm. "I just need you to keep an eye on the engine. The wind's been pretty harsh since yesterday, and it'd eating away at our fuel, not to mention the wear."  
  
Jay sighed. She hated this part of the job. It was so boring. She didn't complain though. Her mind kept replaying the recent events under decks, trying to figure out how she could of made herself come off a little less harsh. Finally, she gave it up. What chance did she have anyway? He was the son of Vyse the Legend, and she was the orphan of merchants. Finally, she settled herself down in a chair, keeping her eye on the engine gauges. Besides, he's an Air Pirate…  
  
****************************  
  
  
  
Ryne sat on the edge of the boat, his legs dangling over the edge, and his arms propped up on the edge of the railing. His shirt was still damp from this morning, the wet sleeves flapping in the wind. He'd been rather reclusive since the incident this morning, though Jaycera hadn't exactly been seeking him out. Ryne sighed and bit his cheek. He'd never understand women.  
  
Being the son of a celebrity, he'd acquired a bit of a fan base with teenage girls. Not that he wanted any of their attention. He taken after his mother, being shy and quiet, which only served to strengthen their resolve to crack him open. It was an endless cycle that would probably follow him until the day he died.  
  
Ryne ran a hand through his hair, trying to get some semblance of order into it, then turned his green eyes onto the misty horizon. Finally, he spotted the familiar fish shaped island that he'd used as a landmark when traveling with his father. Pirate's Isle should be in sight soon.  
  
Ryne focused on a quickly darkening spot, becoming slowly visible, his heart pumping quickly in anticipation. But something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong.  
  
Finally Pirate's Isle became fully visible to the young Silvite… though he wished it hadn't. The remains of the small island floated, solitary and without any signs of life. The only thing left recognizable was the windmill, still pumping on the largest piece of earth, working at water that was no longer there. Ryne stared out in to the rubble, his face straight, showing no emotion. He heard the small creak and slam of a door behind him, though he paid it no heed. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. All that he'd known and loved was being stripped away from him and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
Suddenly he was aware of a soft touch on his shoulder. He didn't turn to see who it was. He already knew who it was. Slowly, he lowered his head, gripping the railing fiercely and supporting all of his weight on it. His chest heaved in great sobs, though no tears came, or would ever come again.  
  
He didn't know how long Jay stood there with him. It had seemed an eternity to him, but still she was there. Finally, her hand left his shoulder and pointed off into the sky, past the wreckage of Pirate's Isle. A small ship was limping toward them, black smoke billowing from the aft engine in a lazy trail floating high into the atmosphere. A faint glimmer of hope was restored in Ryne's mind, though he could see it was not a ship he grandfather had owned.  
  
It was Nasrulian in design, its flamboyant gold and purple colors beaconing any and all who wanted to pilfer it. Ryne watched it with a steady gaze as it neared them, until he could see the old captain behind the wheel, wrestling with the wheel, which only seemed to want to make a left turn. Soon, he pulled his larger vessel parallel to theirs and came out on deck with a long rope.  
  
"Here, Catch!" He yelled, tossing one end of the rope over to him. Ryne caught it and following the man's lead, started to pull the two ships together. The two ships slowly moved toward one another, until they finally met, rocking gently together. The dark, bearded, turbaned man tied the two railings together then hopped over the rails. His thick white mustache half-hid his wide toothy smile and he walked briskly over to him and shook his hand vigorously.  
  
"I cannot tell you have glad I am so see you Young Vyse." He said still threatening to tear Ryne's arm off. "We thought you were lost like your father…"  
  
Ryne's heart sunk.  
  
"M…My father?"  
  
"Yes, your father was lost last night in the explosion." He said, finally letting go of his arm, an air of sadness around him. "Come, I shall tell you what happened…"  
  
******************************  
  
The four of them sat around a small round table in a room which Ryne hadn't been in yet. He assumed it was a dining room or a lounge, but he wasn't sure given the erratic nature of the captain. The bearded Nasrulian sipped on some hot tea, which Jay had just warmed up. Ryne was getting impatient. He'd lost too much of his family to wait for this old man to finish his tea. Besides, it tastes like motor oil… He thought glancing down at his own cup. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the old man set his cup down.  
  
"My name is Yaelmir." He said with a thick accent. "I am a Nasr merchant, working under your grandfather, making weapons runs. I was on such a run when my tale begins. Are you certain you want to hear it?" He asked politely, offering to spare Ryne the pain of detail. Ryne only nodded curtly, his green eyes boring a hole right through him. Yaelmir tilted his head in an odd kind of nod and continued.  
  
"Last night I was making a shipment of Nasr Stonecutters to Dyne and his crew. I could tell something was wrong, for Dyne seemed to be rather absentminded and wasn't prepared to pay me for the shipment. In all my years of trading with him he has never done so. He was very apologetic and asked me to stay a night and he would have money and fuel for me to recompense. I agreed, and stayed the night on my ship. During the night however, I was awakened by a deafening roar.  
  
Being a man of great curiosity, I got out of bed and went out on the deck to see what it was. What I saw chilled me to the bone. In the middle of the island was a great silver egg shaped object, glowing radiantly. I saw many pirates and their families surround it, including your father and grandfather. Then I saw a man shape step out of the object, though not by use of a door. Instead it came right through the side, as if it were a liquid! It was clad in armor, which seemed to be of the same material as the ship, though I could not see any facial features. Vyse and Dyne stepped out of the crowd and confronted the creature, though it said nothing. It only looked at Vyse, as if studying and sizing him up. I could see that Dyne was getting frustrated by it's silence and seeming interest in his son, and I saw his hand go for his gun. I never saw a weapon, though I did see a great flash, and then I saw Dyne hit the ground, unconscious. Vyse, in a great rage, withdrew his cutlasses and jumped at the creature moving more quickly than I though was humanly possible. In a split second he was upon the creature, blades hacking wildly. Though it was no use. The creature simply grabbed his neck and threw him at his ship, which I had supposed the silver egg shape to be, and he disappeared into it. The creature followed passing through the wall of this ship, while the women and children ran toward the underground shelter, while the men attacked the walls of the ship, though it was now solid and unbreakable. It was about that time I decided to leave. The last thing I saw was the Albatross leaving the underground shelter as well, and a great flash. I looked back to see the silver ship streak off into the sky, and a million pieces of Pirate's Isle coming after me. A large piece hit my aft engine and I had to set down on a small island to do some repairs."  
  
Yaelmir took another sip of his tea, his hands shaking violently and uncontrollably.  
  
"I do not know how many survived. I did see the albatross moving south toward Ixa'Taka, though that's all I know." He finally fell silent, his eyes unfocused and staring off into the distance.  
  
Ryne stared at the man, not knowing what to believe. His tale was crazy, no doubt about it, but didn't he lose his mother the same way? Could the Silver object from Shine Isle be the same that had destroyed Pirate's Isle? Ryne was about to say something, but was cut short by Leos, who'd been sitting silent the whole time.  
  
"What a load a Bull…" he said under his breath. The Nasrulian sighed and stared at the table.  
  
"I knew my story would be hard for children to accept…"  
  
Leos stood up and stared hard at the old man  
  
"I am NOT a child." He said forcefully. "I just have a hard time believing fairy stories of a mysterious flying egg. Tell anyone, any age, you want and they'll still call you a freak." Leos shoved his chair back under the table and started to walk out the door.  
  
"I believe it." Jay said quietly. Leos stopped dead in his tracks and spun around to see his sister, who was sitting in her chair with arms crossed staring back at him.  
  
"Jay, don't tell me you believe this crap…"  
  
"I do believe this crap." She said, her deep blue eyes staring daggers at him. "I saw Domingo himself tell the Sailors Guild that The Temple of Pyryn had disappeared overnight. The same thing just happed to Pirate's Isle, and my guess is it'll happen again."  
  
Leos just shook his head and walked out the door. Jay hunched down in her chair a little and looked over at Ryne. Ryne looked around the room and noticed that the man from Nasr was also looking right at him. They were waiting for his opinion.  
  
Ryne ran his tongue across his teeth. He wasn't sure what to believe anymore. His whole world had come crashing down around him in a matter of a week. What he said had made a lot of sense, though it still sounded crazy. Finally, he let out a long sigh.  
  
"How long to Ixa'Taka?" 


	6. Chapter 5 To Ixa'Taka!

Chapter 5 – To Ixa'Taka!  
  
"I don't know how you talked me into this…" Ryne heard Leos call after him as he climbed up the main mast of the Gigas and began to work at the riggings, which were tangled up at the moment.  
  
"I didn't talk you into this. The handsome reward talked you into this." Ryne said, barely above earshot. Leos looked up at him and grinned.  
  
"Actually, yeah, that had a lot to do with it." He commented, then strode away to take his place back at the wheel. Ryne shook his head and went back to the tangled pulley system. He didn't know how Leos had managed this mess, and it didn't really matter anymore. All that mattered was getting it undone and making good time toward Ixa'Taka, where he hoped his grandfather was waiting for him.  
  
The heavyset Nasrulian was in tow being them, working (most likely in vain) to repair his busted engine. He didn't say anything, but he knew Yaelmir's pride had been wounded by Leos's disbelief in his tale. The dark man had been avoiding all of them all morning.  
  
Ryne finally wrenched the final knot out of the rigging and slid down the main mast to the deck below. Looking around him he saw the ropes that would hoist the sail. He took them and walked backward, careful not to let the wind whip them into a knot like the riggings most likely had been.  
  
He felt the boat lurch forward as if the moons themselves had kicked it, because of the hard steady wind. Ryne smiled in satisfaction as the boat began to move, a little slower with the large merchant vessel in tow, but moving nonetheless. Ryne took the two ropes and tied them down to a knob on the deck with a sailor's knot and turned around to head back into the ship. The small ship had become familiar to him in the past couple of days, and in no time he was back in the bridge of the ship with Leos.  
  
"Good job kid." Leos said as he heard him enter. "I don't know how long it would've taken if I'd tried to do it, but thanks." Ryne nodded.  
  
"I've had a lot of experience with knots." He said quietly. "Dad always made me practice. He always said 'You have to know the ropes, Son. If you lose even one you could be stuck in the middle of the ocean.' " Leos smiled and shook his head at the less than heroic saying.  
  
"Sounds like something my Dad would've said."  
  
"Smart man." Ryne said simply, drawing another smile for the young man.  
  
"Yeah… he was." Leos said softly, barely audible.  
  
Ryne shifted on his feet uncomfortably, as something Jay had said earlier came back to mind. I know what it's like to lose a parent… Ryne hadn't let the full impact of the statement hit him then, but now that it had, it stung. He felt like he'd been tearing at someone else's barely healed wounds. The selfishness of his own loss had blinded him to the fact that he wasn't the only one with pain.  
  
"Well… where do you need me?" Ry asked, trying to change the subject. Leos stared at him for a moment then jerked as if he'd been pulled back to reality.  
  
"You can be the engineer." He said pointing at the empty station. "Jay hates that job, so she'll love you for taking over." He said, winking at him, back in his usual manner. "You know anything about it?"  
  
"Yeah, I know a bit." Ryne said, though he knew little about engineering. He'd been too young to start learning captain's bridge responsibilities. Leos nodded, seeing that he didn't know quite as much as he'd hoped.  
  
"It's simple really." He said walking him over to the panel of instruments. "All you have to do it watch the dials. If one of the needles starts dropping into the red, turn the knob beside it down a bit until it cools off." Ryne raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What are they all for?" He asked, not understanding why all this had to be done. Leos sighed melodramatically.  
  
"It's not important right now, and you'll probably figure it out by reading the labels."  
  
Ryne felt his cheeks go red.  
  
"Yeah, that might help…" he said, feeling rather timid at the moment.  
  
Leos just shook his head and smiled, turning his attention back to the wheel. Ry heard the soft shuffling of feet from behind him and turned to see Jay walking up the three small steps that led to the bridge. He grinned weakly as she entered the room carrying a large rolled up piece of paper in her arms. She glanced over at him and smiled back, though he wasn't sure if it was for him or the fact that he'd taken her most hated duty.  
  
Jay walked over to the small table sitting next to Ryne's station and unrolled the large sheet of paper, revealing a large map of Arcadia.  Without words, she beckoned Ryne and Leos over to her.  
  
"Ok, Sis, how are we getting to Ixa'Taka?" Leos asked, looking over her shoulder.  Jay took a short flat pencil out from behind her ear, and traced a small line down from where Windmill Isle used to reside, south to Glacia, and then East over to the Ixa'Takan city of Horteka.  Leos snorted in amusement.  
  
"Wouldn't taking the South Ocean route be a little faster?"  He asked, mocking his sibling's choice.  Jay grinned up at him, knowing she had the upper hand in this battle.  
  
"Of coarse it would." She said coyly, "It'll take us a day and a half to go my route." Leos raised an eyebrow, catching her tone.  
  
"Ok, I give up. Why is your way the better way?" He asked after thinking for a minute. Jay smiled at her small victory.  
  
"South Ocean is notorious for its fierce windstorms and weather, and trying to get through it with as little fuel as we have would not be the smartest thing to do. Glacia, on the other hand, is known to have fairly gentile weather this time of year. Plus the temperature will help keep our engines cool, also helping with fuel efficiency."  
  
Leos smiled, reached up and tousled his little sister's hair affectionately, tangling her hair. Jay smiled at the rare unspoken approval.  
  
"Good job sis." He said after a moment. "I think this just earned you the day off, seeing as your buddy Ry's got your station. Now go take a nap, I know you didn't sleep much last night."  
  
Out of the corner of his eye Ryne though he saw Jay glare at her brother, though she turned her back and went down the stairs too quickly for him to be sure of it. Ryne wondered what Leos had meant by it, but he wasn't about to ask. Jaycera hated him enough as it was, and he didn't need to make it any worse.  
  
Ryne sighed and stared down at the instrument panel in front of him. He wasn't sure how he felt about Jay. She was nice enough on the surface, and sometimes even seemed to like him, though something underneath it all seemed to despise him. That side had been shown earlier this afternoon with the laundry incident.  
  
Ryne gripped a large red knob labeled "PRESSURE" and dialed it down slowly, making the steadily climbing needle, start to drop back a little. He missed his mother, and her gentle guidance. He missed his father's "Go for it, Kid" attitude that was his trademark. He even missed his mother's annoying little blob of a pet, Cupil. Doubt was steadily rising in his mind weather or not he'd ever see any of them again. Or worse, weather he'd be seeing them too soon. Something had been taking his family, and chances were they were after him as well. He'd been passed by when his mother had been taken, but he didn't think his luck would hold out any longer. The thought scared him half to death.  
  
Ryne pushed these thoughts out of his mind. He had to find them, no matter what the cost. As long as he was still free and able, he wouldn't, couldn't give up. Ryne smiled. He was beginning to sound like his father…  
  
  
  
*****************************************  
  
  
  
Gideon stepped into the light, blinking, his gray eyes adjusting to the rare brightness. Nervously he ran a hand through his long yellow hair. Lord Vaulrik had summoned him here, though by the look of it, wasn't here yet himself. Gideon waited patiently for his Master, his hands clasped behind his back. Finally his eyes adjusted to the light, and he could see clearly. In the center of the room was a large, rather cumbersome machine, wires feeding into it covered over most of the smooth metal-like floor. Upon further inspection of the thing, he noticed a large sphere in the center, containing a semitransparent green liquid. As he stared through the glass he thought he saw the shape of a woman…  
  
"I see you've noticed my little toy."  
  
Gideon jumped. He'd been so focused on the machine he didn't hear nor see his Lord enter. He quickly dropped to the floor, hiding his face from view.  
  
"You summoned me, my Lord?" He asked his face turned toward the ground. He heard Vaulrik's echoing footsteps inch toward him.  
  
"You can get up Gideon. I'm not angry with you." His voice came, sounding gentle and soft, though Gideon knew few ever heard it in that manner. Gideon got up off the floor and stood, his body erect in a military fashion.  
  
"Oh relax, boy, and face me." He said, starting to sound slightly annoyed. Gideon complied, and moved into a more comfortable position, but still at attention and turned to see the face of his Master. His features were hard with age, though he still looked younger than he actually was. His jet- black hair, unusual of his culture, was slicked back in air of stature, setting him apart from the warriors and telling of his status. Vaulrik was a high Elder.  
  
Gideon watched as the older man walked past him and stood by the large machine, his green eyes searching through the liquid.  
  
"You know what this is I assume." He said, never averting his eyes from the green orb. Gideon swallowed the saliva that seemed to have been building in his throat.  
  
"I've heard rumors among the warriors, Lord. Nothing more." He said quickly. Finally Vaulrik turned to face him, his eyes boring straight into him.  
  
"Then I assume you know what's inside the orb." He said, his voice filled with an icy tone that ran shivers down Gideon's spine. Gideon nodded to acknowledge the statement.  
  
"Yes Lord, I think I do." He said, trying to keep his voice from failing him. "A Silvite. The last Silver Shine Silvite."  
  
Vaulrik nodded and turned back to the orb, peering inside of it.  
  
"Yes, A Silvite of the Silver Shine no doubt, but hardly the last." Gideon's head reeled.  
  
"I thought the Silver Shine Silvites were destroyed with the Silver Shine. All but her."  
  
"No there is another." Vaulrik said simply. "She had a son. Were able to find that much out from that man of hers."  
  
"I still can't believe she fell for an Arcadian pirate." Gideon said contemptuously.  
  
"Come now Gideon, don't sell the Arcadians short. The Elders of the Silver Shine saw fit to save their lives with their own."  
  
"The Elders were fools." Gideon said, his voice full of spite, forgetting with whom he was talking to.  
  
"That they may have been, Gideon, but I think they were still more wise than a lowly warrior." The verbal slap hit Gideon hard. His opinion of the Silver Shine Silvites had been cemented in his mind since childhood by his parents. Ever since the Silvite War.  
  
"Are we not Silvites as well Gideon?" Gideon stared at the floor and nodded, his pride wounded.  
  
"Always remember that Gideon. Though we may lack the moon crystal shard, we have the same origins."  
  
Gideon nodded once again and looked out the only window in the room, the planet of Arcadia, looming in the distance. It really is beautiful… he though to himself.  
  
"Civil war is building once again Gideon. The power this girl can focus is far greater than anything our pitiful mages can conjure up. If we can learn to harness the energies of the Silver crystal we can, we can set things aright again, and avert a war. We don't want a repeat of last month's little scuffle with the Rebels, do we Gideon."  
  
Gideon shook his head, fighting back the tears threatening to flow. His brother's death still hurt him. The last thing he wanted was a war.  
  
"Good. I have an assignment for you Gideon." Gideon straightened up, taking up the military position once more. "I want you to find this last Silvite before the rebels do. If they get a hold of him first, war is inevitable. If you cannot capture him, kill him. You are dismissed warrior."  
  
Gideon turned on his heel and started for the door.  
  
"Oh, and stay away from the Southern Continent. We're going to be taking out another place of power…"  
  
***************************************  
  
  
  
Jay opened her eyes to the soft purple glow of moonlight, telling her that they were now in Glacia. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and yawned loudly to break the eerie silence. She silently cursed herself for listening to her brother's advice. She'd never be able to get back to sleep now, and from the looks of it, it was now the middle of the night. Frustrated, she got out of bed and put some clothes on. There was nothing better to do than get up and get some fresh air.  
  
Jay creaked open her door, trying not to disturb the others as she made her way down the dark hallway. After quite of bit of stumbling, and finding things she didn't think were there, she made it to the outside door. Purple moonlight streamed into the ship as she opened the door, along with a cool breeze that said "Yes, you are awake and alive". She also saw a fainter, silver light coming in a small trickle. She didn't give it a second thought until she saw where it was coming from.  
  
Ryne stood out on the bow of the ship, his hands perched on the railing, a bright glow coming from his right hand. Jay stood still for a moment, startled at the sight of him. Ryne turned his head, having heard her approach, then turned his eyes back to the sight in front of him.  
  
"Beautiful night." He said softly, as Jay started to approach him.  
  
"Yeah…" She murmured, staring at the unearthly light coming out of his hand. Ryne smiled at her fascination, but didn't say anything yet. "What is that?" She asked finally, her curiosity getting the better of her. Ryne held his hand out for her to examine, which she took.  
  
"It's beautiful."  
  
"It's a fragment of the Silver moon crystal." Ryne answered, "The legacy of the Silvites."  
  
"Why is it in your hand?" She asked, tearing her gaze away from the light.  
  
"All Silvites are born with it, in one of three places, the back of the hand, the middle of the forehead, and the heart. Mostly it depends on gender."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well most Silvite women have it within their hearts, and most males have it in the back of the hand."  
  
"What about the forehead?"  
  
Ryne shifted uncomfortably. "It's considered to be a sign of the Moons. A chosen one."  
  
"Ah, I see." Jay said, though she really didn't understand. She stood silent for a moment, then realized she was still holding onto his hand and let it go, embarrassed. Nervously, she clutched her necklace, the smooth contours of the blue moonstone comforting her. Now it was Ryne's turn to be curious.  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Every time I've seen you nervous you finger that necklace." Jay blushed, glad for the moonlight that wouldn't show it.  
  
"It's kind of my comfort object." She said, trying to regain her lost poise. "My father gave it to me when I was very young…" She held on to the moonstone tighter, trying not to cry. "Just before he died…"  
  
Ryne wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure weather to comfort her or just say "I'm sorry". Then he remembered Jay's touch, earlier that morning, and her attempt to comfort him. Ry reached over timidly and touched Jay's shoulder. Jay glared at it with watery eyes and shrugged it off violently, backing away from him.  
  
"Don't touch me, Pirate!" She growled as she turned and ran back into the cabin of the ship, slamming the door behind her, leaving Ryne wondering what he had done wrong.  
  
Ryne sighed and turned back to his view of the purple-lit sky. Yawning, he watched the lazy descent of a falling star. Finally, he turned and went back into the cabin. He'd seen enough shooting stars in the past couple of days, and he was tired.  
  
********************************************  
  
  
  
Gideon pulled his black garment closer around himself. He hated this continent. He'd only been to Arcadia a handful of times, and those had been pleasant experiences. Glacia, on the other hand, was far from pleasant. A cold wind was whipping about the barren wasteland, chilling him to the bone, and speckling his overcoat with tiny crystals of snow.  
  
It's worth it… he kept telling himself, silently praying to the moon that it actually would be. The sight he was about to behold would not be seen by many, and ever if they did they probably wouldn't live to tell about it. The energy of the purple moon was about to be released in another test of the Silvite woman's true power. Faithfully he watched the sky, waiting.  
  
Something finally caught his eye, though it was not was he was waiting for. What he though at first to be a shooting star, upon further inspection revealed itself to be a Silvite ship, and a Rebel ship at that. The blue ion trail it left was of an older technology that only the Rebs used anymore. He cursed silently to himself.  
  
What are you doing here Celeste… He thought, though he already knew the answer. Just as he was the main field agent for the loyalists, Celeste was his Rebel equivalent. In fact, they had gone through the same training as children, their destinies predetermined by the Silvite hierarchy. He'd even harbored a small crush on her throughout their training, though ultimately they'd choose alternate paths. She was probably after the boy, just as he was. Although it would pain him to kill her, he would do what he must for his cause, his people.  
  
His long reverie was finally rewarded as a thin strip of light fell from the heavens, from the very purple moon above that gave this continent life. It started out small at first, then grew slowly, it's energy lighting up the sky. The only sound heard was of melting ice and snow, falling into the great abyss of Deep Sky. Finally it disappeared altogether, leaving behind a large crater, with a new lake, where the Glacia's great and noble city once was.  
  
Gideon smirked. It truly was an awesome sight to behold. For a while he just stood and reviewed the sight of the new lake, just beginning to show the signs of ice, then took a deep breath of the chilling air, and turned round to his ship. Calmly, he walked through the side of the ship, reveling in the shiver that ran down his spine as his mind entered into that of the ship.  
  
Hello Gideon, the ship greeted him in thought speak Where are we off to?  
  
To find an old friend, Fynis.  
  
  
  
*********************************************  
  
  
  
Ryne yawned as the daylight shone in through his open curtains. Stretching, he rubbed the sleep-sand out of his eyes, and got out of bed stumbling over a chair that hadn't been there the night before, spilling it's contents to the floor. Sighing over his clumsiness, Ryne began to pick of the fresh articles of clothing finding a note underneath once he'd cleared the floor.  
  
Ryne,  
  
I'm sorry about last night.  
  
I hope you'll accept my apology,  
  
and these new clothes. They used  
  
to be Leos' but he never wore them  
  
so I thought I'd put them to use.  
  
1  
  
2 Jaycera  
  
  
  
Ryne smiled and looked at the clothes. They were of an older style and looked much like the clothes his father liked to wear. A white undershirt, a thick black over-shirt with unattached sleeves and a zip-up turtleneck, and khaki colored cargo pants. Ryne shook his head and began to get dressed. He'd thought for sure that Jay hated him after last night, but once again she'd tried to make up for it. So far they had a pretty weird love/hate relationship, which made him feel like his emotions were being jerked around on a leash.  
  
Ryne sighed and left his room, working his way up to the bridge of the Gigas. As he neared the steps he could hear Jay and Leos' voices, arguing over something.  
  
"I told you it would happen again…" He heard Jay's voice say.  
  
"I still don't think there's a connection, Jay." Leos' voice argued.  
  
"No connection?! Leos, three places have been completely wiped off the face of the Earth!"  
  
"We still don't know if Pyryn is gone or not."  
  
"The man is a respected Explorer Leos!"  
  
Finally both of them noticed the other person in the room, watching them silently, a look of curiosity on his face.  
  
"What are you two arguing about?" Ryne asked, once their attention was on him.  
  
"Glacia is gone." Jay said. "Destroyed like Pirates Isle and the Temple of Pyryn."  
  
"Jay, don't start that again…" Leos protested. "There's no proof."  
  
"The fact that they're gone is proof enough." Jay said, her eyes flashing with a rising anger.  
  
"Wait a second, what do you mean it's gone?" Ry asked, trying to stay calm.  
  
"Gone, as in, not there." Leos said sarcastically. "We passed by it earlier this morning and all that was left was a partially iced over lake."  
  
Ryne scratched the back of his neck. None of this made any sense! Strange things were happening on Arcadia, and it all started after his Mother had been abducted. Was there a connection somehow?...  
  
"Well anyway, we're nearing Ixa'Taka now." Leos said, breaking the silence. "None of this is any of our concern."  
  
  
  
********************************************  
  
  
  
Sir, we've picked up an energy signature.  
  
What is it Fynis? Celeste?  
  
No, it's different from the energy signature of Tylen's Ion drive. Stronger, more powerful.  
  
A million thoughts raced through Gideon's head as he and Fynis soared above the lands of the green moon, but one thought reined above all. The boy, it had to be the boy.  
  
Track that signature and record it to memory, Fynis. I think we've just found our target.  
  
  
  
******************************  
  
  
  
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Ryne rubbed at his right hand, which had suddenly started to hurt. A dull light was piercing through the skin, causing it glow a reddish color, not bright enough yet to be the whitish color that was normal. Suddenly he let out a cry, the pain arching into a harsh crescendo, the light now visible throughout the room. Jay snapped her head back to see what was wrong, finding Ryne on his knee's, clutching his hand.  
  
"Ryne, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, kneeling beside him and taking his wrists into her hands. He only answer was the violent pitching of their ship.  
  
  
  
**********************************  
  
  
  
Warning shot fired. Hit confirmed. Minimal damage, though the ship in their tow is down  
  
Good job, Fynis. Charge all weapons system to full power. We're no longer warning them  
  
**********************************  
  
All Ryne knew was pain. Pain was everything, all consuming. He was only dimly aware of his surroundings, of the pitching boat, the fire around him, and Jaycera's pleas. Ryne wished he could answer her, tell her everything was going to be alright, but he didn't want to lie to her.  
  
He could see Leos fighting with the wheel, despite the flames consuming his craft. He could also see the green jungles below, rushing toward him, meeting, and then darkness… 


	7. Chapter 6 Death on a Pale Horse

Chapter 6 – Death on a Pale Horse  
  
  
  
Gideon strode confidently through the halls of the complex, which he'd come to know as home. A look of supreme satisfaction was painted on his face, something that was rarely seen by those who knew him. A silver sheen could be seen around his waist, as the small metamorph Fyn took up his normal residence. Finally, he reached his destination and pushed the doors open before kneeling in the center of the circular room.  
  
He didn't bring his face up to look around; he already knew who was there, and who was seated in the chairs resting aloft from him. The Council of Elders had summoned him before.  
  
"You may look up, Gideon." He heard the soft voice of Elder Prime Capitus address him. Gideon did so, standing up and taking a look around at the Elders seated above him. As a quick review he silently recited their names in his head, so as not to forget them if he was questioned by any in particular. Elder Photos, Elder Philia, Elder Nominis, Elder Manus, Elder Quinue, Elder Prime Capitus, and of coarse his mentor Elder Vaulrik.  
  
"What have you to report?" Elder Prime continued. Gideon clasped his hands behind his back proudly.  
  
"The threat of the Silvite boy has been eliminated most honored Elder." He announced, his voice full of pride. Capitus nodded sadly.  
  
"I had hoped it would not have ended in his destruction… but I suppose it is for the best. The one we have will suffice, will it not Elder Manus?"  
  
Manus nodded gravely. "Yes, her power is sufficient to focus the moon's power, but she is fighting. I fear if she tried hard enough, she could get the moons themselves to turn on us."  
  
Vaulrik snorted contemptuously. "Tell her that her son is dead. That should quiet her for a while."  
  
Elder Prime nodded, and turned his attention back to Gideon.  
  
"Tell me, what of the Rebel agent Celeste. Did you come into contact with her?"  
  
Gideon shuffled nervously. "Yes, I saw her ship enter the atmosphere somewhere under the green moon I believe."  
  
"You did not confront her?"  
  
"No Elder, I did not see her before I found the boy."  
  
Capitus sighed. "This may still be a threat."  
  
"With all due respect Elder, how? We have the power of the Moons with us and all they have is outdated technology. They have courage, I'll give them that, but how can this one be a threat?" Vaulrik asked, folding his armed in front of him, waiting for the answer.  
  
"Have you forgotten the Gigas? The green Gigas Grendel has not been destroyed. If this girl finds the green moon crystal, we might be destroyed before we get the chance to fully utilize the Silvite's power." Elder Prime's burning green eyes turned back to Gideon. "Gideon, I want to find her and bring her back, if possible. If not, you make do what must to make sure she doesn't escape…"  
  
  
  
*****************************************  
  
  
  
Ryne's body hurt. It felt like he'd been tied between two opposing ships and stretched beyond his limits, and had what was left of him trampled over by an elephant… and that was putting it lightly. Finally, Ryne opened his eyes to find himself encased in darkness. Am I dead?... was the first though to float through his head, No I hurt too much to be dead… Where am I?  
  
Then Ryne remembered the violent pitching of the boat, the flames all around him, Jaycera's screams, the rising jungle, and plunging into darkness. Ryne moved… painfully. His hands searched the area around him, feeling the roughness of the unpolished wood surrounding him, encasing him. Finally, with all the strength he had left in him, he pushed. The wood moved slowly forward with the force until he saw a crack of light, piercing the darkness, and he could see. He shoved the wood out, letting the warm sunlight caress his face, and fell backward, exhausted.  
  
He lay there for a moment motionless, trying to access his wounds. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he called upon the green moon above him, and whispered the word "Sacri", instantly feeling the energy coarse through his body, healing all of the minor injures he'd sustained. He got up and crawled out of his hole, the horror of the situation finally dawning on him.  
  
He could see a hundred yard scar through the toppled trees, finally coming the rest just before the wreckage of their ship. The ship itself was no longer recognizable as such. The heaping pile of rubble beneath him looked like something faintly reminiscent of oatmeal.  
  
Suddenly the wood underneath his feet shifted, and a small moan could be heard. Ryne, startled, took a step backward and began to dig through the rubble, unearthing a scuffed up and coughing Leos.  
  
"Nice to see you're alive, Kid." He said between coughing fits, covering his mouth with badly burnt hands. "You seen Jay yet?"  
  
"Jay!" Ryne had completely forgotten about her. Without thinking, he dropped down and started throwing pieces of the ruined ship out of the way, trying to dig around the spot where he had been, and he'd last seen her. Leos sat for a while, still dazed, but soon got to his feet to help, moving slowly and deliberately.  
  
Finally, they found her. The force of the impact had thrown her body up against the front window with enough force to break the glass and leave a large body imprint in the inch thick glass. They lifted the large panel off of her, her face to the ground, breathing so shallow, Ryne wasn't sure if she was or not. Large cuts from the broken glass marred her body, leaving her backside blood soaked. Through the cuts in her clothing they could see that a large bruise covered most of her back, the purplish color coming through her pale skin.  
  
Ryne lifted her body out of the rubble as gently as possible, cradling her as he would a child. Carefully he slid down the rubble, trying not to stumble and fall as he went, Leos trailing behind him.  
  
"Is she… dead…?" Leos asked, his voice hardly above a whisper. Ryne watched her shallow breathing for a moment, and shook his head.  
  
"Not yet." He said grimly.  
  
Leos bit his lip, his face showing a look of determination. "Not ever. I won't let her die. She's all I have left."  
  
"C'mon, we need to get this shirt off her and clean her cuts." Ryne said setting her down, her head resting in his lap.  
  
"Why?" Leos asked, suspiciously.  
  
"We can't let the blood dry to the shirt or it'll never come off again." Ryne said without skipping a beat. "Now go find some water to clean the wounds. I'll do what I can here."  
  
  
  
*******************************  
  
  
  
Jay screamed, her voice piercing the eerie silence that surrounded her. The sound though, was swallowed by the darkness, denying her the echo she'd hoped to achieve. She was afraid.  
  
A figure became visible through the haze, not recognizable as of yet, but defiantly human. A blue aura seemed to surround him, lighting through the darkness, and Jay could finally see the familiar face. His wavy black hair, and shimmering blue eyes were just as fresh in her memories as they had been almost ten years ago.  
  
"Dad?" She asked, almost timidly.  
  
The figure of Halden Delasari reached out and touched her and laughed her father's warm laugh. "No little one… I am Death."  
  
Jaycera recoiled from the cold touch, fighting the tears welling in her own blue eyes. "What are you doing here? Why do you look like my father?"  
  
Death smiled again, the warm look no longer holding the appeal it once had. "Simple little one. I often take the form of someone comforting. It makes the transition easier."  
  
"Transition into what?" Jay asked, fearing her answer.  
  
"The after life, little one."  
  
Jay closed her eyes, still fighting the tears. "So I'm… dead?"  
  
"No, little one, not yet."  
  
"Then why are you here?"  
  
"I'm here to wait. Your fate has not yet been decided."  
  
  
  
*******************************  
  
  
  
Gideon stood in the center of the launch room, waiting for Fynis to finish his transformation. He'd seen him do it many times, though it was still wondrous and new each time. The usually small metamorph had now grown to ten times his usual size, the silvery liquid metal the composed him seeming to flow outward, slowly taking ovoid shape that he seemed to enjoy. He was amazed that the scientists could do things like this, even though the technology had been available since the Silvite War.  
  
He watched as the stealth engines formed and took their shape, indicating completion of the process. Gideon strode straight through the side of this ship, feeling the tingle of his mind joining to Fynis'.  
  
It's about time Fynis, I think you slow down every time. Gideon teased.  
  
I'm sorry sir, I shall try harder next time  
  
It was a joke Fyn.  
  
Ah, humor. Ha… ha  
  
Fynis, don't even try anymore.  
  
Agreed Gideon. What's our mission this time?  
  
To find Celeste and Tylen.  
  
Splendid, I would much like to catch up with Tylen.  
  
No Fynis, our orders are to bring them in or take them out.  
  
… I see sir. Where are we going to start?  
  
Rixis.  
  
No more was thought between the two of them. Gideon knew their orders had hurt Fyn, more than the elders would know. In fact, the Elders didn't even know metamorphs could develop a personality, being as none of them owned one and scientist never kept the long enough to let one develop. Metamorphs had been genetically engineered by the Silvites to be a sort of intelligent multi-tool, taking whatever form was required of them to take. With certain upgrades they could also gain the ability to expand beyond their normal limits and become the ultimate starship, having the ability to alter their shape and size at will.  
  
Genetic Engineering had been the main cause if dissention between the Silvites of old. The Silvite War had lived in infamy among the colonists for millennia, since before the Rains of Destruction, and the creation of the six Gigas. It had been five thousand years ago, when the Silvites had been united and Soltis had prospered under the light of the Silver Moon.  
  
No one was sure just when it had happened, but all knew that it had happened. The hierarchy of Silvites had researched for years in secret, never revealing themselves to their underlings, but even the best kept secrets can't remain secrets forever. They had unlocked the power of the Silver Moon itself by grafting the very energies of the moon itself into their genetic code, causing their bodies to create within them, the Silver Crystal, making their bodies ageless and finding their own personal fountain of youth.  
  
It had been a secret from hundreds of years, but when what they now reviled as the "Common Silvites" noticed their lack of age throughout the years, suspicion arose causing great upheaval in their society. Neither knew who struck first. A bloody war had arisen, of which there was no victor. In the end, the revolutionists were banished to live their lives upon the Silver Moon, with nothing but life support and the occasional shipment of food.  
  
Throughout the years they learned how to use the environment of the Silver Moon to their advantage. Moonstones were plentiful, needless to say, and once again, technology began to progress at a steady pace, while their hatred for the "Higher Silvites" grew.  
  
Silently they waited, watching the great wars from above, watching the fall of Soltis, the rise of the Silver Shine, and the slow effort to rebuild. The Arcadians, whom they had been taught to hate all their lives, slowly began to gain respect in their eyes, as they watched them build and try to arise from the ashes, using the fallen moonstones to their advantage, while the "Higher Silvites" also watched from their perch in the Silver Shine. Oh, how they'd wanted to shoot that thing down, though there was no way they could do it. The power they now commanded was far greater than any attempt they could muster up, so they waited, watching for their chance, planning to reclaim their lost home…  
  
We've reached Arcadia, Gideon. Shall I start a sensor sweep while we're still in the high altitude? Fynis asked, breaking Gideon's recounting of ancient history.  
  
Yeah, she shouldn't be too hard to find if she's still got Tylen…  
  
  
  
***********************************  
  
  
  
Ryne stared up at the green moon above him through the large hole in the roof of the shelter he and Leos had started constructing. The soft glow of his hand shone down on the body of Jaycera, who had a contented, almost peaceful look on her face. He sighed and looked back at the moon, letting it's healing energies fill his body and gather at a focal point. Suddenly, the room was no longer filled with the familiar silver light, but green. Ryne stared at his hand in amazement. This had never happened before. The full aide of the Moons comes only when the need is great…  
  
Ryne looked at Jay, her black curly hair gnarled in hopeless knots, framing her beautiful face. He knew what he had to do. Ryne strode over to the cot, which had survived the crash, and knelt beside it, brushing Jay's hair out of her face gently. Slowly, he placed his glowing hand onto her forehead.  
  
Nothing happened at first, and Ryne wondered if he might have been wrong, but something inside of him still told him he was doing the right thing. Then he felt a slow trickle of energy leave him and dissipate into Jay's body. The trickle turned into a flow, and the flow into a torrent of the healing energies of the green moon. He watched, his breath staggering from the effort, as cuts mended themselves and though he couldn't see it, he could feel the lost blood from her bruises returning into repaired blood vessels.  
  
Then it stopped all at once, leaving him tired and weak, the back of his hand dark, drained of it's energy. Ryne knew he should find a place to rest, but he didn't think he could move from his position at her bed. He was rewarded by Jay's deep blue eyes shining through the darkness, and her bare arms wrapping around his neck bringing him into a desperate embrace.  
  
He held her trembling form in the darkness of the room, her tears soaking through his shirt, to his shoulder. He didn't know how long he sat there, holding her in the darkness, stroking her dirty hair, trying his best to comfort her. Several times she lifted her face to look him in the eye as if to say something, then breaking down once again, finally falling asleep in his arms.  
  
Ryne shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to disturb her, but also not wanting to have Leos find them like this the next morning. Gently, he eased her head back down to her pillow and pulled the sheets up around her. He sat on the edge of the bed a while longer, watching her steady breathing, then got up and returned to his own ripped up mattress, about five feet from the fitfully sleeping Leos Delasari.  
  
Ryne collapsed onto the heap of springs and fluff, ignoring the slight pain in his back from the exposed metal. Despite the fact that he was exhausted, he couldn't seem to be able to sleep, though twenty minutes of listening to the various animal calls, the wind rustling the foliage, and gazing at the stars above slowly lulled him into sleep…  
  
  
  
*****************************  
  
  
  
Jay woke with a start, half expecting to be darkness once again, her night with Ryne only a brief illusion. She could still feel the icy touch of death on her shoulder… Suddenly she was overcome by a huge mass of tattered clothing and squeezing muscles, removing all doubt that yes, she was alive.  
  
"You're Alive!" She heard the mass that was her brother, exclaim.  
  
"I am now, but not if you don't let go!" Jay gasped. Sheepishly, Leos let go of her and back off a couple of steps, his eyes watery with tears of joy.  
  
"Sorry sis… I just though I'd almost lost you." He said, sniffling. Jay smiled weakly, her strength still sapped.  
  
"You almost did, you big Lug." Jay reached out to her big brother and pulled him into an embrace. Cautiously, he put his arms around her fighting back tears once more. "Aw, nobody like's a crybaby, big brother. Sides… it'll take more than this to get rid of me."  
  
Leos smiled, resuming his normal expression. "I'll try harder next time." Jay laughed and punched him softly on the shoulder.  
  
"Where's Ryne?" She asked, suddenly remembering the white haired Silvite who'd saved her life. Leos shrugged.  
  
"Still sleeping I guess. Why?"  
  
Jay opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it and shut it. Leos would never understand. He knew nothing of the power of the moons, and would probably misread what had happened. Leos looked and her suspiciously and shrugged.  
  
"Just try to get some sleep, Jay." He said, gently pushing her back down into the bed. Jay didn't fight it. Despite the fact that she was fully recovered, she was still exhausted though she didn't know why. Slowly she drifted back to sleep, dreading the dreams it would bring her… 


	8. Chapter 7 The Depth of Memory

Chapter 7 - The Depth of Memory  
  
Ryne glared at the tree in front of him, sweat dripping from his forehead, stinging his eyes. The Ixa'Takan battle axe felt like it weighed two hundred pounds in his hands. not that he could feel his hands right now. Both his hands were covered in blisters and he'd barely taken two inches out of the tree in the two hours he'd been beating it. Oh yes, this tree was going to pay.  
  
Tenderly, he rubbed his hands together placing them over the small gash he'd made in the tree. He closed his eyes and concentrated, praying to the red moon, gathering it's energies into his body. Finally, he released them with the small word "Pyri". He didn't see it, but he could feel the intense heat eating away at the hard wood. His concentration was broken however, as a loud crack echoed through the forest. He opened his eyes with a large smirk, which disappeared quickly as he realized the tree was falling in his direction. In one smooth motion he dived out its way as it came crashing down on the spot where he'd been standing a split second ago.  
  
Ryne looked down at the tree and sighed. All this work for a tree only six inches in diameter. His hands still smarting, he dipped down and threw the largest part of the trunk over his shoulder, dragging it the hundred meters or so back to camp. He was greeted by the enticing smell of soup and smoke. Absentmindedly, he threw down the tree and strode over the fire where the smell was emanating from. Leos was sitting at the crude table they'd constructed from cargo crates, sucking down soup like a fiend. Jay sat in front of the large wrought iron cooking pot, stirring it slowly. Leos didn't even bring his face up from his soup, but Jay noticed his approach and smiled warmly at him.  
  
"You hungry, tree killer?" She asked, still smiling. Ryne plopped down on a log, smiling weakly.  
  
"Sounds great. as long as I don't have to us my hands." Jay laughed, and Ryne thought he could defiantly get used to the sound. Jay walked over to him with a metal bowl full of a brownish broth. Ryne smiled and lifted the bowl to him lips, almost choking on the stuff. It tasted awful, but Ryne was grateful for something to fill his stomach. Jay looked at him apologetically.  
  
"Sorry it tastes so bad."  
  
"Naw, its fine. I like it." Ryne lied.  
  
"Liar." She said smirking.  
  
Ryne shrugged. "Hey I tried."  
  
Leos was now looking at them, one eyebrow cocked. "Did I miss something?"  
  
Ryne quickly hid his reddening face from view with his bowl of soup. Jay just sighed and shook her head.  
  
"You read into things too much." She stated, leaving the table and returning back to the soup which was now boiling over and sizzling into the fire. Leos shrugged and got up from the table.  
  
"Hey Ry, I'm gonna need your help whenever you're done with that slop." He said as he turned to walk toward their water barrels. "We're gonna need to refill these things again." He finished kicking one of them ruefully. Ryne nodded, sucked down what was left of his soup, fought the urge to hurl, and followed Leos over to the empty water barrels. He hefted a couple over his broad shoulders as Leos did the same.  
  
His muscles had grown stronger in the past three day that they'd been here. His once overly large shirt was now beginning to fit him as his frame expanded to fill it. And since that night three days ago, Jay seemed to be taking more and more notice of it. Ryne still didn't know just how he felt about her. He'd grown closer to her in the past couple of day than he had any girl in his past, but that didn't mean he loved her. Liked maybe, but love was too strong a word for what they had as of now. Besides, he was still reeling over the loss of his mother to really love another woman yet.  
  
Ryne hiked the sliding barrels higher onto his shoulders. He could hear the rushing stream now they'd found on the second day. Soon he would be able to see and feel its cool waters and satisfy the growing thirst with in him.  
  
********************************  
  
Celeste took a deep breath slowly releasing her anxiety with her exhale, echoed by the small metamorph Tylen. She smiled at the silver orb hovering near her head. Technically, he had no need to breathe, being as he wasn't really alive, but over the years she'd had him he'd begun to pick up certain human characteristics.  
  
"Well Ty. this is it." She said, the humidity making her feel as if her words were falling straight into the dirt.  
  
They called Rixis the City of Gold, though she didn't have the foggiest clue as to why. All she could see were ruined buildings, craters, and lots of dirt. With a one minded determination she began to climb the seemingly endless stairs, the hem of her traditional Silvite dress restricting her leg movement. Finally, in a fit of frustration, she asked Tylen to form himself into a pair of scissors and used him to make her dress a miniskirt. She tossed what was left of her dress aside nonchalantly. Her superiors were going to have a fit when she got back to base, but that was a small price to pay for a full range of motion.  
  
Finally, she could glimpse the top of this unending tower. She could see the womanly figure of the Ixa'Takan God Quetya over the edge of the stairs. She smiled as she saw the centuries old painting, wearing the same garb that was still in use, and she happened to be wearing.  
  
Through the dim twilight she could see a greenish glow lighting the surrounding area, that didn't seem to be coming from the moon above. She felt her pulse quicken as he excitement grew. Finally, her head cleared the edge of the stairs and her heart skipped a beat as she saw the very thing she was looking for.  
  
She gazed in awe at the smooth form of the Green Crystal, hovering inches about the surface of its stone casing. Without realizing she'd done it, she reached out and took the stone in her hands and gazed at it, entranced. She shook her head, bringing herself back to reality and shoved the stone into her hip pouch.  
  
"C'mon Tylen, let's get out of here before that guardian wakes up." She said, though she knew the Ixa'Takan guardian would probably be out for at least a day maybe two. Ty merely gave his equivalent of a human nod and started his transformation. He was once of the fastest at transforming himself, as he was older and experienced. In moments he hovered before her, in the sleek egg shape typical of Silvite spacecraft.  
  
Celeste smiled and walked through the sliver skin of the metamorphic ship, her mind bonding with that of her familiar friend.  
  
I can sense the presence of another ship near. Tylen informed her, as the joining completed.  
  
Arcadian? Celeste asked, hopeful.  
  
No, it seems to be that of Fynis, Gideon's ship.  
  
Celeste cursed. If it had been any other time, she would have welcomed the oncoming presence of her old friend. But things were different now. She was a Rebel. He was here to stop her.  
  
Evasive maneuvers Tylen, we have to shake them off our tail.  
  
Celeste felt her orders being followed as her stomach lurched into her throat as Ty launched into a belly roll and dove straight down into the lower depths of the Arcadian atmosphere, almost skimming the edge of deep sky.  
  
Celeste could see now the pin prick of light, reminiscent of a shooting star, plunging down after her, at a speed she could never hope to attain. It was useless. She could never escape the coming carnage that was about to overtake her. Her only hope was to get above land and hope that when she was shot down, that's where she'd land. Tylen, hearing these thoughts, complied, shooting straight up, his belly skimming the bottom of the treetops. Through it all, Tylen was forming a plan of his own.  
  
Celeste felt the slow deceleration as Ty began to get slower, as if waiting for Gideon and Fynis to catch up to them. A wave of panic crashed over her, though Tylen send reassurance back to her, soothing her. If she had realized what Tylen's plan was she would have protested, demanded that he not abandon her, and cry to him to stop. but before she realized what was happening she was freefalling through the dense foliage and finally hitting the hard ground, just in time to feel her lingering mind join with Ty shatter, as the sky erupted into flames and she slipped into darkness.  
  
******************************  
  
Ryne was awakened by the sound of a deafening crack and a searing pain in his right hand. For a moment he wondered what time it was, as the sky was lit up as if it were the middle of the day. Ryne scrambled out of his blankets and turned his gaze into the skies above just long enough to see what looked like a comet being tailed by an odd orb which, as if realizing it had been sighted, disappeared at a speed his eyes could not follow, the pain in his hand abating.  
  
Suddenly a wave of heat and debris rushed at him, and Ryne covered his face as thousands of small twigs and stones came hurtling toward him. He could feel them hitting his body, leaving small welts on his already sore hands, until the storm finally died down to the normal gentle breeze that was native to Ixa'Taka. Ryne uncovered his face to see that the sky had returned to its normal shade of black, except for an unearthly glow north of their camp.  
  
With a quick side glace, Ryne realized that Leos and Jaycera were standing on either side of him, Jay with her hands clasped on the small blue stone around her neck and Leos wearing a grim look of wonder with an odd underlying determination. Ryne didn't have to wait long to figure out why.  
  
"Let's go." He said, that determination coming to the surface.  
  
"What?" Ryne asked, confused.  
  
"Let's go get it." He said again. "Listen, you didn't happen to note its shape and color did ya?"  
  
Ryne thought for a moment, his mind slowing drawing the same conclusion Leos had already reached. "Silver. egg shaped."  
  
Leos reached over and tousled his scraggly white hair. "Good boy, you deserve a treat." He said, mockingly. "Now the way I see it, that Silver thing is our enemy right?"  
  
Ryne nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"And obviously, whatever just got itself shot of the sky was an enemy of it."  
  
Jay smiled, letting go of her necklace. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."  
  
"Right on, Kiddo. Pack your bags kids, cause we're goin huntin."  
  
*********************************  
  
"I'm going to kill you Leos." Jay muttered under her breath, trying to wave a swarm of insects away from her face unsuccessfully, while also trying to keep her balance with her heavy pack on.  
  
"You're going to have to catch up to me first." Leos said smiling from the front of the group. "Why didn't you pack a little lighter?"  
  
"I'm a woman, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot."  
  
Jay gave him one of her patented death glares, but dropped the whole subject. Ryne would have laughed if not for the swarm attacking him as well. He tried to ignore them, as they weren't really doing anything but swarming around his head, but they were really beginning to annoy him.  
  
Their trek had begun at dawn, and Ryne had no clue how long they'd been walking through the dense brush, Leos hacking his way in front of them with a couple of Yafutoman katanas that they had salvaged from the wreckage of their ship. Ryne was surprised to see just how many weapons had been on the ship when they pulled them out of the rubble. He himself had taken a particularly ornate claymore, its mass weighing heavily upon his back. Leos had told him that it had been an old family heirloom of the Delasari family, but gave it up to him gladly saying that it was more practical to hand it over to someone who could make use of it. Ryne took it not only because he was particularly fond of claymores, but also because the sword itself intrigued him.  
  
Upon first glace it had seemed to be a quite ordinary blade, though upon closer inspection proved to wield strange runes upon it's blade that seemed oddly familiar to him, though he could not decipher. The hilt itself was also a marvel. The grip, appearing to be made of metal, actually formed to that of the person handling it. At the end there was silver claw, gripping a Silver Moonstone, which glowed whenever Ryne touched the blade. Ryne concluded that it must have been a Silvite blade from a past long forgotten, much like the sword Ramirez bore, the Sword of the Silver Eclipse. Ryne didn't know its significance, but was determined to investigate it once he found his parents. or if he found his parents.  
  
Ryne was so wrapped within his own thought he didn't even notice when the sky began to darken and the sun became a crescent above the trees, the green moon taking over for it and bathing them in its light. Leos, who also seemed to have been taken by surprise by the sudden sun fall, dropped his pack to the ground in a realization that, yes he was tired beyond belief. Ryne followed his example, setting down his own supplies next to where he was standing and immediately fell to the ground, no longer able to ignore the constant ache that was now an all too familiar feeling. Jay however stayed standing to unpack some small brown packages. Ryne watched her curiously for a bit, an eyebrow raised, though he didn't move anything other than that.  
  
She set these down beside her, and then disappeared from view though returned soon with an armful of sticks and leaves. Carefully, she arranged them into a small tipi shape with the leaves housed inside it. He watched he as her eyes closed in deep concentration, and he could feel the power of the red moon, slowly gathering around her, then he felt it release through her fingertips and into the dry leaves, creating a small fire, which she began to nurture with larger sticks and small logs.  
  
Finally, realizing that Ryne hadn't fallen asleep as her brother had, she looked over at him and smiled widely.  
  
"Hungry?" She asked, motioning toward the now open brown packages at her feet.  
  
"Starving." Ryne said, pushing forcing himself into a sitting position. Now he could see the contents of the packages. One was a small stale loaf of bread, the other a block of cheese. "What are you going to do with those?" He asked, not looking forward to the crunch and taste of stale bread.  
  
Jay merely smiled wider. "You'll see."  
  
Ryne shrugged and watched as she slices the bread into thin strips and did likewise with the cheese. Taking a forked sick, she placed once piece of bread on it, then a slice of cheese, and another slice of bread and held it out over the fire, until one side was browned, and tuned it over until the other side matched it, then tossed the strange sandwich over to him. Ryne fumbled the hot bread and set it down, blowing on his tender hands, Jay giggling. Finally, he got up the courage to take a bite, as Jay was already working on a second one. He wasn't prepared for it to be absolutely delicious. Realizing how hungry he was, Ry scarfed it down in a few more bites and looked up hopefully at Jay, who looked at him apologetically.  
  
"Sorry, we need to ration."  
  
Ryne nodded sadly. "Where'd you learn how to do that?"  
  
"My mom used to make them all the time." She said, taking a bite out of her own, "It's called a grilled cheese."  
  
"Grilled? But it's toasted."  
  
"I know, I always wondered the same thing. I asked my dad once, but all he said was 'Nothing in life is what it seems'." Jay's voice fell a pitch, and she absentmindedly began to clutch the moonstone hanging around her neck.  
  
"Did your father get that for you?" Ryne asked, bringing her out her daze.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did your father get that for you?" Ryne asked again. Jay stared down at the ground, unwilling to meet Ryne's gaze.  
  
"Yeah, he got it for me just before he died." He voice trailed off as she fought back tears. Forcefully, she tried to pull herself out of it. It had been six years and she needed to get a grip. Ryne bit his lip, unsure of whether to ask him next question or not. Jay finally met his gaze, and Ryne could see her challenging him to ask. For a moment, Ryne was lost in the deep expanse of blue, visible only by the firelight.  
  
"How." Ryne finally managed. "Did your parents die?"  
  
Jay broke eye contact once again, looking straight into the dying fire. She stayed like this for what seemed to Ryne like an eternity, then finally faced him once again, a hardened resolve in her eyes.  
  
"They were killed, after my dad gave me this necklace. We were all going as a family to drop off a load of Yafutoman spice to Valua. My brother was excited because it was his first trip as a crewmember, not just a ship brat. I was happy being the brat though. I remember standing on the bow of the ship, letting the wind rush through my hair, with my mother standing behind me, holding me so I wouldn't fall. We were so happy." Jay's voice dropped off for a moment as tears she's been fighting back finally began to leak through. "The next moment, we were being boarded by black pirates. They ordered all the crew up on deck while they raided everything. Our cargo was light, and apparently this wasn't good enough for the captain. He ordered all of us to stand in a straight line. Then he killed the crew. one by one. taking all the valuables off of them and throwing their bodies out into the sky. We were the last in line, our parents holding onto us. and they shot them. I remember screaming, I remember my mother's weight falling from my shoulders, and I remember that man's wicked smile. He took my necklace and threw my brother and me into the life raft and let us drift. I don't know how long we drifted, but I do remember my brother worrying that we were going to run out of fuel soon. We were found by some Blue Rouges just in time though. As they took us onto their ship, I heard them talking about a Pirate ship they'd just raided, and how much loot they'd gotten off of it. During the night, I remember sneaking out of the cot they'd given me and going down into the cargo bay. In the middle of it all I found my necklace."  
  
Jay was no longer able to hold back her tears, and they came in full force, her slim form rocked with sobs. Ryne took her in his arms and held her as she cried into his shoulder.  
  
"I'm not like that." Ryne whispered softly into her ear. Jay pulled away from his shoulder, her teary eyes shining, a smile starting to cross her face.  
  
"I know, Ry. I know." She said softly, lost in his green eyed gaze. Suddenly, all rational thought was gone, and it was only the two of them, Ryne now cradling her hands in his lap, the moon highlighting his white hair green. Before either really knew what was happening, their lips touched in a gentle caress. The gentle sounds of the forest were nothing when compared to the fireworks going off within them. Ryne finally broke the kiss, his breath ragged. Jay smiled at him, all sadness gone from her, and Ryne was finally able to admit to himself just how gorgeous she really was. Without another word, Jay laid down, pulling her pack underneath her head, and Ryne watched as he breathing became deep and more relaxed as she fell asleep.  
  
Ryne watched her for a moment longer, his lips still tingling with electricity. Finally, he pulled his pack under him and followed her into sleep. 


	9. Chapter 8 C'est la Vie

Chapter 8 - Ces't la Vie  
  
Celeste's eyes snapped open as a beam of light shone through the treetops and illuminated her once beautiful, now filthy, face. Her thoughts were murky as she pushed herself up out of the dirt and decaying leaves that covered the forest floor. For a moment she sat and wondered just why she was on the forest floor, instead of in her bed back home. Then she remembered. She had no home. She lived in a crude barracks with a Rebellion that had no real name yet. She had been sent to retrieve the remaining moon crystals so they could have something to thwart the plans of the misguided Elders.  
  
None of that mattered anymore. With another sudden flash of painful reality she realized the full weight of what had just happened. The silence in her mind reminded her that she was alone. She had lost her ship, but also much more than that. She had lost her only real friend. This realization hit Celeste with enough force to kill an arcwhale. Tylen was gone. Not just gone, but dead.  
  
For the first time in her hardened life, Celeste wept.  
  
**************************************  
  
"Can you see anything Ry?" Leos' voice called from beneath him. Ryne delayed answering him for a moment, his eyes still scanning the horizon from his perch atop one of the larger trees he'd seen during their stay in the jungles of Ixa'Taka.  
  
"Hey! Answer me you poor excuse for a looper!" Leos called after him again, at a higher pitch.  
  
"Be patient, the jungle is a large place." Ryne answered, his concentration broken. He shook his head in annoyance. Leos had been treating him like this all day and his half brained insults were beginning to get a little old, though Ryne would never tell him so. He had too few friends in this world, and he wasn't about to lose the only ones willing to help him find his parents.  
  
A sudden urge of excitement ran through him as he sighted a large scar through the tree cover. He was about to call down to his companions when he also noticed that the scar was south of him. exactly where they had come from two days ago. Great he thought I've found OUR scar.  
  
He was about to shimmy back down the tree when he finally spotted it, about five hundred meters northeast of them. It was smaller than their trail of wreckage, but it defiantly wasn't natural. Ryne noted its direction carefully and climbed down the massive tree, hopping from branch to branch until he landed with a hard thud just in front of Leos, whose arms were crossed in impatience.  
  
"Well?" He finally asked after seeming to study him in silence. "Did you see anything?"  
  
Ryne nodded his head and smiled in spite of himself "Yeah. It's about 400- 500 meters northeast." He said, pointing in that direction. "I'd say it about another days hike, judging by how far we've come in the day and a half we've been at this."  
  
Leos cocked an eyebrow at him. "How do you know how far we've come?"  
  
Ryne shrugged. "I saw our trail of havoc a bit south."  
  
Leos let himself show a grin and patted his companion on the shoulder. With a harsh yell of "Let's go." Leos corrected their path and began to sing an old marching song, his mood brightened, and his tone off. Ryne helped Jaycera with her pack and jogged to catch up with Leos, trailing behind Jay as she took off as well. Ryne fell back into their unarranged formation.  
  
Ryne's mind wandered as he marched, following the person in front of him instinctively. His thoughts now always led back to the kiss. He felt as if it had happened to someone else and he was a mere bystander, but the look with which Jaycera gazed at him reminded him otherwise. She was sure of how she felt about him. Ryne on the other hand, was a ball of confusion. He wasn't sure what to think anymore.  
  
He was attracted to her certainly, but he didn't want that to be all there was to it. At first she had seemed to him to be bipolar. Warm and caring one moment, then icy as the continent of Glacia the next. Until the night he had healed her on her deathbed. After that night, everything had changed. He and Jaycera connected. They had bonded on an emotional level that went beyond merely knowing each other. When their lips touched he almost felt that he was her. and that scared him more than the thought of never finding his family again. He was only six-teen, he wasn't ready to look for love. Though it seemed love had already found him.  
  
*************************************  
  
Celeste lay quiet. She didn't know how long she had been lying in the dead leaves that covered the forest floor. All she knew was the harsh reality of life. and how much she wanted to leave it. Her only thought was of how much she wanted to just curl up and die and leave this world full of its petty problems behind. She had nothing to live for. Her cause was doomed, her only friend was dead, and the elders were going to kill her anyway, so why not save them the trouble.  
  
Somewhere in the distance she could hear the call of some predatory animal, most likely telling of its delight of making a kill. She envied its prey. Its existence was over; it no longer had to feel the pain of loss, the worry of a next meal, or where it was going to lay its head at night. With the snap of those predators' jaws, it was released from everything. She longed for that release, though she knew it would not come yet. Something deep inside told her it wasn't over yet.  
  
Reluctantly, she moved. Everything she once stood for might be crushed, but she was still alive. She could still make a difference. Weather for good or ill; she still had a part to play in all of this. Slowly, she pushed herself from the dirt, rising from the death she'd almost condemned herself to. As long as there was life, there was hope. Tylen had given his to save hers. She wasn't going to let him die in vain.  
  
**************************************  
  
Leos heard it coming. It was hard to miss the thundering footfalls in the silence that had enveloped them. That should have been his first clue. the silence. They'd been in the forest for over a week and there had never been a time where it was silent. It seemed the birds had known something he didn't. He wished he'd have taken their unspoken warning. His head barely had enough time to snap to the right to get a glimpse of the blur of green and black that was now lunging through the air toward him, white teeth bared.  
  
Ryne, suddenly pulled out of his thoughts, instinctively reached for the large, light Silvite blade slung on his back. The animal was green and cat- like, with thick black stripes running down its back. Its head was wide and flat its enormous eyes set high, its jaws gaping and prepared to end Leos' life with one snap. Ryne wasn't going to let that happen.  
  
Ryne pulled with more force than was needed, and the light blade cut through the air and wedged itself in the ground, the moonstone embedded in its hilt shining actively. His adversary seeing the immediate danger, and sudden new opportunity leapt at its newly discovered prey.  
  
Ryne heard a scream and he didn't know if it was Jay's, the monster's, or his own. All he knew that his existence was swept into a vicious sea of green and black. Ryne felt a searing pain slice through his right cheek, causing his mind to snap to attention, and sending adrenaline coursing through his veins. In an instant he was on the ground, the flash of green over top him, though he was ready. In a smooth, rehearsed motion he pulled his legs up and arched his back, landing in a roll and kicking his opponent off of him.  
  
Finishing the roll, Ryne landed back on his feet, grabbing his sword which was still planted in the ground, and held it loosely in front of him waiting for the next attack. though it never came. Ryne saw three flashes of light diaper into the forest, a yelp of pain, and then silence.  
  
Ryne looked around, slightly confused by this turn of events and saw Jay behind him, grinning slightly. Clutched in the fingers of her right hand were two throwing knives, which were finding their way back into Jay's utility pouch that hung loose at her side.  
  
"You get bored sometimes." Jay answered Ryne's unasked question. "Everyone needs a hobby, or you'll go insane."  
  
Ryne nodded, his head feeling slightly dizzy. He could feel something warm beginning to trickle down his neck, and knew it was his own blood. Absentmindedly he wiped it off with the sleeve of his white shirt, Jay noticing with a look of shock, her hands covering her open mouth.  
  
"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, almost timidly.  
  
Ryne shook his head slowly, things beginning to blur slightly. "Yeah. I think so." He said, though he knew it wasn't true. He felt as if he'd gone a few rounds with a Yafutoman kick boxer. He didn't even do much. why did he feel so bad?  
  
"Thanks for caring Jay, of coarse I'm alright." Leos grumbled, dusting the dead crumpled leaves off of his shirt. "I just about got eaten by a lunatic green tiger, but hey, no biggie."  
  
Jay ignored her older brother, and tore her right sleeve off, tenderly dabbing the blood off of Ryne's face; flinching at seeing how deep the cuts went. It took Ryne all that was in him just to stay standing. His world was spinning, and imagination was beginning to collide with reality. The only thing keeping him anchored was the dim realization that someone was patting his cheek in a way that only his mother would. Finally, He could take no more. He felt the now familiar blackness rushing up to meet him once more, and he couldn't help feeling that it was here to stay.  
  
********************************  
  
Jay gasped as Ryne's full weight suddenly collapsed atop her unexpectedly. He'd lied to her. He'd told her he was going to be alright. Slowly, she eased herself into a sitting position, placing Ryne's head in her lap still holding the piece of sleeve against his cheek. Leos looked over, an unreadable expression on his face.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" He asked, almost mocking. Jay didn't look at him, not wanting to meet his gaze.  
  
"I'm not sure. He just passed out." She said coolly, trying not let any emotion show through. Leos nodded and knelt down beside her, placing his fingers on the side of Ryne's neck, counting slowly to himself. Finally, he took his fingers away and shook his head, uttering a curse.  
  
"His heartbeat's slow." Leos said carefully, choosing his words. "My guess is poison."  
  
Jay nodded, all of it seeming ethereal. They had made it through so much together already. To lose him now just seemed unfair. Small tears began to run down her soft face, her expression never changing. Leos sighed deeply and collapsed down in defeat.  
  
"Remember that time when you were five years old and you said you were in love with the deck boy Daiyan?" Leos said, finally breaking the awkward silence and sitting up to face her. Jay laughed, in spite of her self.  
  
"Yeah. Dad fired him the next day.."  
  
"He was just trying to protect you, you know."  
  
"I know"  
  
"Just like I want to protect you."  
  
Jay looked down at the boy in her lap, realizing that her free hand was now stroking his white hair. She didn't care anymore if Leos saw her.  
  
"Ryne's not like that." she said softly. "He'd never hurt me."  
  
"You don't know that sis. You've known him for what now. a week and a half?" Leos said sarcastically.  
  
"You wouldn't understand."  
  
Leos sighed and laid down, staring at the midday sky. "You're right. I wouldn't."  
  
Jay didn't pursue the matter any longer. She merely contented herself with cradling Ryne's head in her lap, and crying softly to herself.  
  
***********************************  
  
Celeste dodged another hard nut that came careening toward her face. Angrily she began to climb faster and harder. She didn't know if it was some small primate that hurling nuts at her, or the tree itself expressing its own anger at her presence, but she was really beginning to annoy her.  
  
Finally, she found herself at the top of the tree, the mid day sun causing her to squint. One of her hands found its way off the branch she was clinging to and went up to her forehead to shield her eyes.  
  
She didn't know exactly what she was looking for. All she knew was that she had to look for something. anything. Her eyes scanned the lush forest beneath her. As she turned her gaze toward the direction she had come, a small gasp escaped her throat. There she could see Tylen. or what was left of him. All she could see was the smoking mass of destruction he'd left in his wake. In the center she could see a small black orb, no longer the silvery color he'd once been. The emptiness that still nagged her in the back of her mind was a constant reminder of her loss.  
  
Fighting tears again she turned the other way. Then she noticed something else. Another line of burnt trees stretching even longer that her own, though she could tell it was older, due to the fact that the trees had already begun to reclaim the lost space. A cold rush of excitement ran through her as she realized that she was not alone. There were others here.  
  
She made a quick mental note of its direction and started her long climb back down the tree. She was ill equipped for such a journey, but she had a better chance of survival if she started moving. Who knows? Maybe they were on their way to find her as well.  
  
*************************************  
  
Jay concentrated. Her brow began to sweat as the power of the green moon allowed her to connect with Ryne. Her left hand was clasped in his right, as she tried to pulse the healing powers of the moon through to him. Frantically, her mind searched for his, his mind being elusive and shirking away from her touch. She needed his senses to find out where the poison in his body was so she could isolate it and try to counteract it.  
  
Finally she collapsed, the link broken and her efforts broken. Her slender shoulders heaved as she tried desperately to pull in enough air to keep her alive. Her body trembled with a grim truth that she held. Ryne was dying.  
  
  
  
*****************************************  
  
The council room of the Elders was bustling with electricity. Vaulrik could feel the tension in the room; could smell it, could taste it, he could practically breathe it in. Elder Capitus made his way into the room slowly, his ageing body begging to finally slow down. The rest of the Elders were impatient, though they held their tongues. Finally Capitus sat down in his overly padded chair, and called the meeting to attention.  
  
"And now for our first order of business." He said, his seemingly frail voice booming through the chamber. "Elder Vaulrik, how are things going on the military side of things?" Vaulrik stood, his unusual black hair falling into his eyes. He brushed it away in annoyance and cleared his throat.  
  
"We're a bit behind schedule. The Shrine Silvite girl is causing problems again, and without her silver crystal we can't use the Zelos fist to its full potential. If we try to fire upon Rixis as we had planned we will kill the girl, losing the potency that her life gives the crystal."  
  
"What do plan to do to remedy this?" Elder Prime asked, his green eyes always burning.  
  
"We are preparing to put the Arcadian thorough heavier torture, as worked the last three times. However I think she has been calloused to this process and the pirate seems to goad her on not to listen. It is my advice that the council give me permission to have him executed in front of her, to break her will."  
  
The council room erupted into a flurry of protest. Elder Prime Capitus called for order, calming most. all but Philia.  
  
"I will not allow such a blatant disregard for human life."  
  
Vaulrik glared at him. "What do you think we'll be doing when we reclaim Arcadia? Herding them onto reserves? Banishing them up here like the Shrine Silvites did to us? They're going to fight, and some of them will die. It's an inescapable fact of life. Where there is life there is death. Why try to put it off when death can serve an end?"  
  
"Sometimes I think the Resistance fighting for a just cause." Elder Philia said softly, drawing the burning stare of Elder Capitus.  
  
"THAT, Philia, is treason."  
  
Elder Philia set his jaw and looked back with a look of final peace on his face. "Indeed, it is."  
  
********************************************  
  
Celeste ran. She could the high pitched whine of tiny darts hurtling through the air after her. She'd never even had the chance to see her assailants. She'd been running ever since a tiny dart had logged itself into the long sleeve of her outfit. She'd been thinking about tearing them off at the time.  
  
Her legs were burning. The boots she wore were beginning to wear the calluses on the back of her feet into bloody sores. She knew she couldn't run much longer.  
  
Suddenly she felt something bite into the back of her neck. She only had time to reach back and pull out the small pin before her world collapsed around her.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Leos lay in the grass watching the clouds roll over the sky through a hole in the forest canopy. His life had gotten so complicated within the past couple of weeks. How he'd found himself tangled into this mess he could quite remember. Now his reason for even getting into it was almost gone. Something about this just didn't seem fair.  
  
Leos took a long breath and let it out slowly. His life just wasn't fair. His parents had been stolen from him at a young age, he had to be a father and a brother to Jaycera. something he felt like he was botching up already, and now his ship was gone, and he was left with a dying boy. Something inside of him just wanted to scream.  
  
Then something did. Leos jumped up off the ground, pulling out his Nasrulian blade, only to see Jay, staring out into the forest, eyes wide and fearful. At first Leos couldn't see them. Their bodies were unbelievably tanned and covered with something that looked like crushed leaves. But the thing that stuck out the most was the white clad girl, hanging upside down from a pole, carried by two of them. She might have been beautiful underneath all the caked mud.  
  
Finally, one of them stepped forward. His features were sharp and angular, with high cheekbones and dark eyes. A headdress of green feathers were set upon his head, casting green accents on his black hair. He didn't say a word. He just looked at Leos as if sizing him up. Leos snarled at him trying to make himself look fearsome, though his insides were churning as if trying to turn out butter and that was exactly what he felt like. The Ixa'Takan merely cocked his head in a display of amusement and made a sort of clicking sound with his tongue.  
  
Leos' attention was stolen away from the head-dressed Ixa'Takan as two warriors lifted what looked like long hollow shafts to their lips. Leos, lifted his blade into a ready position, not sure what they were going to do. The last thing Leos could remember was the sound of rushing air, and a prick of a pin in the side of his neck. 


	10. Chapter 9 The Festival

Chapter 9 - The Festival  
  
Ryne awoke with a splitting headache and the overwhelming urge to vomit. He sat up as he felt his stomach heave, though there was nothing there to give up. He didn't know how long he sat doubled up on the edge of the bed he'd found himself in, all he knew was that the next time he looked up he was looking straight into the eyes of a dark skinned girl.  
  
She met his gaze with curiosity, her head cocked slightly to the side. Ryne matched her curiosity with a cocked eyebrow. She giggled and turned quickly to the door flap, peeked back in an instant later, then disappeared from view.  
  
"I apologize on behalf of my daughter." A deep, rich, though heavily accented voice startled him. Ryne's head snapped to the other corner of the room, where a dark man stood in green swirled robes. "She seems to be rather taken with you."  
  
Ryne's only reply was in the deep shade of red his face turned. The man laughed heartily, his long beard wagging.  
  
"She is usually quite shy for one of 15 years, though I guess you are bringing the best out in her." He said, still laughing. "It's too bad you seem to be spoken for already."  
  
Ryne almost turned purple. He tried to choke out some words, but his throat felt like sandpaper. The Ixa'Takan picked up what looked to Ryne like a long gourd and held it to Ryne's lips. Ryne swallowed the sweet liquid that was inside, his thirst quenched and his throat rejuvenated.  
  
"Thanks." Ryne said slowly, the juice settling in his stomach. "Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Certainly, young one."  
  
"Where. and when. am I?"  
  
The Ixa'Takan chuckled amiably. "To answer where, you are in the city of Ixa'Jealis. To answer when, about a week since our tribe found you and your friends tied to stakes and being prepped to be eaten."  
  
"Eaten?" Ryne asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, eaten. Our tribe has been keeping watch on the other smaller tribes within our territories, who are still known to prefer cannibalism."  
  
This statement hit Ryne like a ton of lead. For a moment he felt queasy and thought he might dry heave again.  
  
"Lucky for you, one of our scout groups was on their way to the Ixa'Yaeka tribe anyhow. You should also count yourself lucky that they don't eat poisoned meant and cured you of the veriak poison enough that you survived your trip here." The dark man started running his fingers through his beard. "You've been under mine and my daughters care for a little over a week now."  
  
"I've been out for a week?"  
  
"Probably more, considering we don't know how long the Ixa'Yaekans had you."  
  
Ryne shook his head as if trying to wake himself from a dream. None of this seemed possible. but his life was hardly normal anymore.  
  
"Now young one, may I ask you a question."  
  
"Shoot." Ryne said absently.  
  
"Who are you, and where are you from?"  
  
"My name is Ryne Vyse, and I'm from Crescent Isle."  
  
The Ixa'Takan seemed taken aback for a moment, until a grin split his lips. "Ah, so you are the son of the famous Sky Captain. My name is Vealik Rysh'an and I am honored to have served you Mr. Vyse." Rysh'an moved to the other side of the room, where the door flap was and lifted it, showing the darkness outside. "You should rest. Tomorrow there will be a festival for our honored guests."  
  
******************************  
  
Jay could hear the sound of a grindstone in the distance. The smell of burning wood filled her nostrils, the smoke permeating her clothes and skin. Her eyes were clenched shut, not wanting to see it anymore. Every time she opened her eyes the same nightmare greeted her.  
  
Jay woke with in a cold sweat. The smell of smoke still lingered in her nostrils. Jay ran a hand through her hair, scratching the back of her head when she reached it, trying to calm herself. The dream had been so vivid, so real. probably because it was more than just a dream.  
  
Jay pushed the thin sheet off of herself, the silky material that was the same as her night gown seemed to flow to the floor. The wooden floor seemed cool to her bare feet as they touched it softly. Slowly she eased her way off the bed, the floor creaking beneath her weight. She looked over nervously to the other two occupants of the room, Leos and Celeste. Leos was sleeping soundly, breathing loudly, but the mysterious girl Celeste seemed to be sleeping shallow. Jay tip toed cautiously to the door- flap, and slipped silently into the night.  
  
She knew where her feet were carrying her, though she did it without any conscious thought. The streets of the tree top city were lit by softly glowing green moonstones, or as the inhabitants called them "glow rocks". The city looked beautiful in the limelight, its pristine spires seeming to reach for the moon.  
  
Cautiously she stepped onto one of the odd floating platforms, a buzzing sensation moving through her feet. Her body was tense throughout the short ride for she hadn't learned to trust the ancient technology. Slowly she made her way across on of the sky bridges that connected the upper levels of Ixa'Jealis.  
  
In the moonlight she could see a figure sitting on the edge of the bridge, their feet dangling over the edge. As she neared she could see his accented green hair, his gaze directed to the heavens above. A lump started to rise in her throat as she recognized the figure. Quietly she walked over to him and sat down next to him, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence. Ryne looked over at her and smiled, seeming not be surprised.  
  
"Hey Jay."  
  
Jaycera couldn't take it anymore. Tears she'd been holding back for a week finally came rushing down her cheeks and she buried her face in Ryne's chest. Ryne didn't recoil and just held her in the darkness, her sobs the only sound that could be heard.  
  
"I thought I'd lost you Ry." she said softly, after she could cry no longer. Ryne wiped the tears off her soaked face and smiled warmly.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere Jay." Jay smiled and contented herself with resting her head on Ryne's shoulder. No more words were exchanged that night. They each simply enjoyed the other's presence, watching the stars, waiting for the burst of sunlight that would signal the beginning of a new day, and a new beginning.  
  
**********************************  
  
Morning came too soon for Leos. The sounds of music filled the room, bringing the groggy early twenties merchant from his near comatose state. Annoyed, he groaned long and deep and pushed the silky green sheets off his body, his eyes adjusting the sunlight.  
  
As his eyes finally came into focus he saw Celeste standing at the window, her slender arms supporting her face as she leaned against the windowsill. She was dressed in the traditional garb of an Ixa'Takan, which consisted of a green body hugging strapless top, a headdress made of fresh leaves, and an almost organic looking skirt. With the morning light shining on her perfectly, Leos couldn't deny that she was beautiful. too bad she was just as emotionally cold.  
  
Celeste finally glanced back as if she could feel his eyes on her, her own grey eyes sending a chill down his spine.  
  
"Get dressed." She said, motioning toward the green attire sitting on a stool at the foot of his bed. "There is a festival in our honor."  
  
Leos sighed. "We've been here for a week, and NOW they want to celebrate."  
  
"I believe your friend has finally woken up."  
  
Leos glanced over at Jaycera's empty bed and nodded. "That would explain why Jay's not here."  
  
Celeste nodded, and made her way to the door-flap. "I'll leave so you can get dressed." And with that, Leos was alone.  
  
Sighing hard again, Leos got up out of bed, the floor creaking under his weight. He glanced ruefully over the clothes the Ixa'Takans had given him, which was little more than a green skirt. He pinched it in between his fingers and inspected it, wondering how much a fool he'd look in it.  
  
******************************  
  
Ryne's face turned cherry red. He felt like a cow to the slaughter. He was surrounded. He was vastly outnumbered, and unarmed. It seemed as if there was nothing he could do. but get pretty.  
  
The women worked in a flurry, trying to make something of his hopelessly tangled and overgrown hair, stripping him down to nearly nothing, and garbing him in nothing more than a glorified skirt and paint.  
  
The Ixa'Takan women and gone an quickly as they had come, and Ryne was left alone in a small room, his heart beating out of control and his breathing shallow. Finally, Ryne stood and cautiously made his way to the door, peeking out of the flap, and praying to the moons that no one was there to see him. His prayers were in vain.  
  
As soon as his white mop made it out of the door, he was pulled into a flurry of movement, his body pin-balled through the impossibly large crowd of Ixa'Takans. Ryne felt it impossible for there to be so many on the platform that was raised a hundred feet above the forest floor. Suddenly he felt a strong grip on his shoulder, a familiar laugh echoing from behind him.  
  
"Well, don't you just look vicious. real warrior-like." Leos said, pulling him into an unexpected embrace. As he released him Ryne looked Leos over, unsuccessfully suppressing a grin.  
  
"Like you should talk. You look like a half dressed girl." He said, not trying to hold it back any longer.  
  
"Hey, I can't help that they gypped me on the war paint. Seems this whole party is in celebration on you."  
  
Ryne nodded, acknowledging this. "So, where's Jay?"  
  
"I don't know, I thought she was with you."  
  
"She was. until I got attacked by a band of large women and forced to wear this. dress."  
  
Leos grinned. "Well, sounds like they've probably done the same with her. It takes girls longer to get ready you know." Leos seemed to scan the crowd for a moment and then looked back to Ryne. "Hey, have you seen Celeste lately?"  
  
Ryne cocked an eyebrow. "Celeste? Who's Celeste?"  
  
Leos rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, you've been out all week. I don't really know that much about her except that she was captured by the same guys we were, she's insanely beautiful, and seems to hate the world."  
  
Ryne chewed this over mentally. "If I see anyone who fits your description I'll be sure to get them to you."  
  
Leos smiled and slapped him on the back. "Thanks Pal."  
  
Leos dissipated into the crowd and Ryne watched him disappear as another hand gripped him on the shoulder. Ryne turn this time to see Rysh'an, his face split with a grin that shone through his bushy beard. With a strength that seemed inhuman he pulled Ryne up out of the crowd and onto a raised platform with him.  
  
Suddenly the crowd became still, and Ryne could see hundreds of dark and attentive faces turn toward him. Ryne felt a lump rise in his throat as he began to get the idea that they wanted him to say something, but Rysh'an came to his rescue.  
  
"My friends and fellow Ixa'Jealins, people of the City in the Sky. Most of you know that a little over a week ago four young travelers came into my care. It has long been a custom of Ixa'Jealis to welcome our fellow Arcadian with a festival and feast." Vealik Rysh'an paused for a moment, as if to let the tension rise. "Today we welcome Ryne Vyse and his companions Celeste, and Jay and Leos Delasari."  
  
The crowd erupted into cheers and sounds of joy, and for the first time in his life Ryne understood what his parents must have gone through every day of his life after defeating Glacien in the Crystal War. Now he knew why his mother sought solitude.  
  
"Standing here with me is young Ryne Vyse, who came into my care with a rather nasty veriak wound and is lucky to be alive. He bares the scars on his cheek." Rysh'an turned Ryne's head to the crowd to display the three long scars that ran down his cheek. "His companions tell me he won this in a battle with the creature, protecting the one called Leos Delasari. Tonight we honor his bravery."  
  
Ryne felt his cheeks flush again highlighting the white scars that now adorned his face. He felt like throwing himself right off the City in the Sky. until Vealik called the rest of them up with him.  
  
Ryne saw Jaycera coming through the crowd, her curly black hair large and ornate with two long bangs framing her face. Something on her face made it seem to sparkle, as if glowing in the light her ice blue eyes. She was dressed in the style of a dancer, and for a moment Ryne lapsed into the memory of his father's crew member Meridia. As she neared him Ryne felt their eyes lock. He didn't even notice as Leos came up and stood beside him, the oddly familiar girl Celeste taking her place beside Leos. All Ryne heard was Vealik's voice booming "Let the Festival begin!" and Ryne felt Jay's hands enter his and they were off into a flurry of dance.  
  
***************************************  
  
Leos saw Ryne and Jaycera dissipate into what seemed like an endless sea of people. After a while, when they'd disappeared from view, he looked over at Celeste who'd also seemed to be watching them. He gave her a wry smile.  
  
"So. you do dance right?"  
  
"Dance? Why would I dance?" She asked, not in a cold manner, but truly surprised.  
  
"Oh I dunno.. Don't they have fun where you come from?" Leos asked sarcastically, though it seemed to have been lost on her.  
  
"No. It was never needed. We are taught to function and to make ourselves useful. Things such as "dancing" are seen as a waste of time."  
  
Leos pursed his lips and shrugged. Celeste was about to look back out over the crowd when Leos took a hold of her hands. "Just move your feet" was the only instruction he gave her as he whisked her into the teeming masses.  
  
************************************  
  
Vaulrik rubbed his hands in anticipation. He hadn't felt this excited since. well. since he'd destroyed Glacia. The girl's will had finally been broken, when her pitiful husband nearly reached the point of death. It was time to focus the Zelos Fist.  
  
He himself had designed this marvel of technology and magic. The Zelos Fist worked on the same basic principles as the moonstone cannon, harnessing the power within moonstones into a beam of pure energy, only on a mush larger scale. With their proximity to the moons, especially on the one they inhabited, they could harness the power of the moons themselves. The technology for this concept had been around for decades though they could never find a lens that could handle this immense power. The only thing that could harness this power was something of equal power. the Silver Moon Crystal.  
  
Vaulrik watched the gray mass swirl darkened tones, the command cortex mounted above the glass orb containing the Shrine Silvite girl. Taking a deep breath he stepped inside. He'd never liked this part f the process. He could feel himself becoming one with the living computer, its essence invading every facet of his being. As their senses became one he began to see the world the way Zelos Fist saw it. and hated it al the more.  
  
Vaulrik could feel his eyes focus on the large continent of Ixa'Taka, the Zelos Fist doing its part by reading his mind for the target, and zooming in on it. Vaulrik could see the "Golden City" and its fallen glory as if he were there. Mentally, he ordered the living computer to do a scan of the affected areas.  
  
************************************  
  
Ryne danced with Jaycera. The fast pace of the drums and instruments had died down to a slow melody. Ryne held Jay close, the silk material of her top feeling cool against the bare skin of his chest. Jay's head rested on his shoulder as they rocked back and forth to the beat of the music. Ryne enjoyed this small ounce of happiness he'd found, though he almost felt guilty for it. He was beginning to feel the wanderlust again, feeling as if she should be out there searching for his parents. Though somehow, just being here with Jay was beginning to dull the pain he felt over their loss. This new feeling scared him. Suddenly the dying light of dusk was broken as a shrill cry erupted from Ryne and he dropped to the ground clutching the source of the unearthly glow. The glow turned fiercely from a mere glow to a sunburst, illuminating the entire area, the Ixa'Takans looking on in terror. The last thing Ryne saw was Jaycera as she lowered herself to him, cradling him, as he slipped once again into the darkness that was becoming all to familiar to him.  
  
*************************************  
  
Vaulrik's body was forcibly thrown from the cortex, his body flailing through the air like a rag doll. As his body hit the metallic catwalk with a resonate thud, his mind began to clear. In his mind's eye he could see power emanating from the Shine Silvite woman, her resolve strengthened once again.  
  
Vaulrik cursed. He saw the same thing she did.  
  
"The boy is alive.."  
  
***************** 


	11. Chapter 10 The Revelation

Chapter 10 - The Revelation  
  
Gideon was nervous. He was scared of what he would find behind the double locked doors of the atrium of the Zelos Fist. He hadn't known what to think when the smell of singed hair and burning flesh had started to permeate the room, and was still partially in shock. He'd thought there was nothing his master couldn't handle, and thought of him as almost immortal. Now he was scared that what was behind these doors would prove him otherwise. His shaking hands finally managed to find the controls to the door and entered in the correct code despite himself.  
  
The doors hissed open with the sound of a compressed gas being released and a rush of foul smelling air greeted him into the place where his Master had been spending most of his days. It was enough to bowl him over, and merely standing upright and keeping his stomach from overturning was a chore. All the lights in the room had gone out, but the room was lit by what seemed like an otherworldly glow. It took a moment for Gideon to realize that the light was coming from inside the green orb that was the centerpiece of the installation. Dimly he could see the silhouette of a woman through the glass.  
  
Finally, his eyes were drawn to the source of the stench. Elder Vaulrik's body lay on the cold metal of the floor, his unusual flowing black hair all but singed off, his eyes staring unfocused at the ceiling. Gideon felt a lump rise in his throat. This was what he'd been afraid of. his master was dead.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Ryne was enveloped by the white. This was something new. He was used to being swallowed into darkness, not light. Ryne wondered momentarily if he was dead, and even asked aloud if he were, not receiving any answer. He looked around to try and find anything that seemed out of place, and noted that he was clothed in all white, making it hard for him to even see his own body.  
  
He was still examining himself when he realized that he wasn't alone. It wasn't anything that he saw or heard. he sensed it. He could feel the presence of another mind, softly probing his own. At first he wanted to recoil, but something about the mind link was soothing to him and soon he found himself plunged into a sea of raging color.  
  
As quickly as he'd been pulled in, he was spit out landing in a patch of soft grass. When he opened his eyes the soft glow of twilight filled his head, the setting sun just before him. It took a moment for him to realize where he was, though when it did finally come to him it scared him even more.  
  
"I'm on the lookout point of Sailor's Isle." Ryne said soft, his voice filled with a frightened wonder  
  
"Yeah, you are, aren't you."  
  
Ryne was afraid to look back. He knew this wasn't real. It couldn't be real. The last thing he remembered was Jaycera's face twisted in an expression of fear. and pain. There was always the pain. He remembered what had happened to Pirate's Isle. He knew it no longer existed. Really being here was impossible.  
  
"You're not real." Ryne said, trying to keep the quaver out of his voice and not being overly successful. "This isn't real."  
  
"No, It's not." The soothing female voice said from behind him. Ryne felt a soft familiar touch on his shoulder. "But I am."  
  
Ryne wanted to cry, though he knew he'd never cry again. He knew who it was.  
  
"Hey, Mom."  
  
"Hey, Ry." Fina's smooth voice answered as she sat down beside him, her emerald green eyes mirroring the joy also found in her son's. Ryne grinned and embraced his mother, deliberately being too gentle, as if not wanting to crush her and end this dream.  
  
"Where are we.?" He asked softly. His mother met him with a grin that rivaled his own.  
  
"My mind. a memory actually." She explained. "This is where it all began, where I really fell for your father. This was my favorite spot on the island and we'd come up here and just watch the sunset."  
  
Ryne looked out at the stagnant sun, noting that it hadn't moved since he'd been here. He took a deep breath through his nostrils, looking for the familiar smells that he'd grown up with. The smell of the spice garden below them wafted up and well as the scent of baking bread. If this was a dream, Ryne didn't want to go back to reality.  
  
"You can't stay here Ry." His mother gently reminded him. "I can't hold onto this link much longer." Her voice noticeably strained. "I'm sorry."  
  
Ryne watched as a tear ran down his mother's young looking face. She hadn't aged a day since she was eighteen, she'd told him, slowed aging one of the blessings (or curses) of the Silvite race. Ryne reached up and brushed it away, feeling as if they had somehow switched roles, and he's become the comforter.  
  
"You've got nothing to be sorry for." He said gently, pulling his mother into a tight embrace. Fina smiled grimly.  
  
"Take care of your father when you get him back, alright? He's going to need you."  
  
Ryne didn't have time to reply. Without warning he was pulled back into his own mind, waking with a gasp.  
  
****************************************  
  
Gideon didn't know what to do. Without his master there would be no one to lead the reclaiming of Arcadia. He was the only one who could control the Zelos Fist and there were still Gigas out there that could be reactivated.  
  
Slowly he walked over to where Vaulrik laid, turning him over so he could see his face. In amazement he watched as his thin lips curled into the evil parody of a smile. He could barely hear the word "Sacrulen" as it wheezed through his mouth, the words seeming to knit his body back together.  
  
Gideon barely had enough time to breathe a sigh of relief before his own body was hurtled across the room, his convulsing form pinned to the wall. Through his reddening vision he could see Vaulrik stride over to com calmly, lightning lancing from his fingertips.  
  
"Dead, is he?" Vaulrik snarled, inches from his face. Gideon couldn't speak, couldn't even take a breath. For a second he thought his lungs might have been fried away. Suddenly the pain stopped, and Gideon fell to the floor his lungs finally able to take in air in gasping breaths.  
  
Vaulrik strode over the glowing glass orb, the figure of a woman still shining through, and put his hand on it gently, almost lovingly. Gideon coughed blood out of his lungs.  
  
"Oh, get up you fool." Vaulrik commanded, Gideon's pain instantly fading. Unsure, Gideon pushed himself to his feet, and timidly went to his master's side. Vaulrik didn't even turn to look at him, just gazed into the green orb.  
  
"One more chance," was all he said to him as he waved him out of his presence. Gideon swallowed hard and turned on his heel and left. Without thinking he walked briskly to the hanger bubble, Fynis uncurling from around his waist and now floating beside his head cooing his apologies. Gideon smiled in spite of his situation and rubbed the living ship appreciatively.  
  
"It's alright Fyn, we'll find him this time." Gideon said to the small metamorph. "I won't get hurt again."  
  
******************************************  
  
When Ryne awoke he expected the first person he saw to be Jaycera. It was always her now, watching over him. But it wasn't. Grey eyes were watching him come back from his dreams, not the icy blue. It took Ryne a moment to figure out who it was, and when he knew he was even more confused than before.  
  
"Celeste?" He asked, unsure that he's gotten the name right. He'd never really met her. All he knew was that she'd been rescued at the same time as them, and that Leos had been looking for her at the festival. Celeste merely nodded, acknowledging her name and showing no emotion whatsoever.  
  
Without saying a word, she took his right hand and held it palm up in front of her. Ryne was about to protest when she produced a green moonstone and placed it into his hand, the silver moon crystal embedded in it absorbing it's energy and starting to emit the healing green light. Quickly she withdrew it from his palm, nodding to herself.  
  
"Shrine Silvite," She said simply. Ryne's eyebrow cocked, his curiosity growing even stronger.  
  
"What?" He asked, no longer able to stand it. Celeste, finally looked him in the eyes as if noticing he was there for the first time.  
  
"You're a Shrine Silvite." She repeated. "A descendent of the Higher Silvites."  
  
Ryne was lost. He'd known he was a Silvite, but he'd never heard of a Shrine Silvite, let alone "Higher Silvites". Ryne squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ryne asked. Celeste sighed and shook her head as if she had to explain complex math to a three year old.  
  
"Look, thousands of years ago before the Gigas were created and before the Rains of Destruction, the Silvites divided into two factions. the Silvites and the Higher Silvites."  
  
"Wait a second, Higher? Why Higher?"  
  
"Because the Higher Silvites are the ones with the Silver Crystal shard in their bodies, making them higher than the normal Silvites."  
  
"I thought all Silvites had a piece of the crystal in them."  
  
"Then you have been misled."  
  
Ryne didn't know what to think. His mother had been the one to tell him of his Silvite heritage. Was it possible that his mother had lied to him? Or had even his mother been misled. It was too much for him to handle.  
  
"Stop it, none of this matters anymore. My mother I are the only Silvites left." Ryne argued. Celeste chuckled. "What's so funny?" Ryne asked starting to get angry at the woman.  
  
"You are. Your whole life has been based on a series of half-truths. Maybe your elders were ashamed of their past after all."  
  
Now Ryne was angry. Unconsciously he began to draw power from the red moon, his crystal beginning to grow in radiance. All he had to do was release it and it would be over. She would torture him no more. A look of pure terror came across Celeste's face.  
  
"Put that thing out, or we're dead for sure!" She managed, glancing out the window at the night sky.  
  
"What's going on in there?"  
  
Ryne and Celeste both looked to the door flap to see Jaycera pull it back slowly and come in with a quizzical look on her face. She was still in the flesh showing Ixa'Takan outfit he'd last seen her in and Ryne couldn't help but let his anger abate, the light the filled the room extinguishing. She had a perplexed look on her face, glancing at Celeste suspiciously.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not trying to steal your little boyfriend." She said in answer to her look. Ryne felt his face redden slightly. "But someone else probably will."  
  
Jay's look shifted to one of minor annoyance.  
  
"Celeste, you haven't said a thing all week and now when you finally start up you immediately start harassing people? No wonder those cannibals were trying to eat you. They wanted to shut you up."  
  
Ryne felt the corner of his mouth tug up into a grin. He hadn't seen her this feisty since before they'd crash landed on Ixa'Taka. Somehow, he'd missed it. Despite the insults being thrown her way, Celeste's face was still the picture of calm and rationality.  
  
"Don't spout off about things you don't understand, girl."  
  
"I understand enough." Jay retorted, a grin of her own widening. "Let me guess. The same people who came after his father and mother area also after him now. I'm also guessing that these are the same individuals who destroyed the Temple of Pyryn, and Glacia, and this probably has something to do with them being the places that house and control the Gigas, and those being controlled by the moon crystals, of which, Ryne has one in his right hand."  
  
Ryne looked at her in astonishment. He'd never seen it coming. He'd been so single-mindedly focusing on a single goal that he hadn't stepped back and realized the big picture. He was caught up in something much bigger than a simple abduction. Celeste's cool exterior broke, her face shining in a genuine smile. Se crossed her arms in front of her.  
  
"Very perceptive of you Jaycera Delasari. I'd of never expected it from a girl of your age."  
  
"When your parents are killed in front of your eyes, you tend to age quicker than you'd like." Jay said grimly. "Now, tell me who you really are, and why you happen to know all this."  
  
Celeste sighed deeply and walked to the window, staring out at the green moon through the thick foliage for a while as if gathering her thoughts. Ryne began to get impatient though Jay, understanding the female need for time, gave it to her.  
  
"I am who I say I am." She started not taking her gaze from the moon. "I am Celeste. I am a Silvite. And I'm here to stop the rest of my people from enslaving and killing yours."  
  
Ryne started to get the information overload headache that had plagued him moments before, but tried to keep listening. Jay only stood and listened, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Celeste finally turned to look at them both.  
  
"I'm with a group called Eternum, which means freedom in the old tongue."  
  
"Isn't that also the spell to cast instant death?" Jay interrupted, almost accusingly.  
  
"Perceptive as ever." Celeste said, smiling. "Yes, in the old world, to die was to be free. Now if you'll let me continue." Jay waved her hand, signaling her to keep on talking.  
  
"Eternum is a group that sprang up in opposition to the creation of the weapon Zelos Fist, a weapon that can harness the power of the silver moon into a concentrated beam, causing greater destruction that the Gigas. The intent of the weapon was to destroy the Silver Shrine and the six places of power that could control the Gigas so that we could once more return to Arcadia. However, Elder Philia, leader of Eternum, argued that we could return to the planet without the use of force."  
  
"Can I interrupt?" Ryne asked, raising his hand. "Return to the planet, as in, not ON the planet?"  
  
"Precisely," Celeste said, nodding. She rolled her eyes and looked over at Jay. "Jeez, for being so smart yourself, you sure chose a guy as sharp as a bowling ball."  
  
"What's a bowling ball?" Ryne asked, knowing he was just insulted, but too lost to really mind.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Anyway," Jay started, "Back to the whole not on the planet thing. If you're not from Arcadia, where did you come from exactly?"  
  
"The Silver Moon."  
  
"Ah. and what, pray tell, are your people doing on the moon."  
  
"We were banished there thousands of years ago by the Higher Silvites at the end of the Silvite Civil Wars. The Silvite Wars were fought because a faction of Silvites figured out how to alter their genetic structures to produce the Silver Crystal, giving them an enhanced connection to the power of the moons, and greater longevity. This was kept a secret for years, until the general populous noticed that their leaders were no longer aging. This led to rioting, and eventually, full scale war. Many battles were fought upon our own continent and in its Skies. Our leader was a black haired Silvite, something unusual among our people, named Delasaris. Delasaris was one of the greatest swords-man the planet had ever known, and had even managed to kill one of the Higher Silvites, keeping the crystal and having it cap the hilt of his great sword. In the end, even his leadership was not enough. Delasaris was captured in the final skirmish and beheaded on the spot with his own blade. Our people, or what was left of them anyhow, were hunted and rounded up like animals and sent to a prison facility on the Silver Moon where we have been ever since. Soon after we were sent, the Great Wars began signaling the Rains of Destruction, and the Higher Silvites flight from the planet."  
  
"Didn't you ever try to escape? Obviously you figured out some way to achieve space travel. Why didn't you return sooner, when the planet was still relatively weak?"  
  
"Oh we did try, but the Shrine Silvites were always there to intercept and execute us."  
  
Ryne felt his cheeks redden. He couldn't believe his own people, the same who had given their lives to save Arcadia, had been capable of such cruelty. Now he understood why Celeste had been laughing at him earlier, why she'd joked about the Elders being ashamed.  
  
"I don't get it. If you were forced off planet by the "Higher Silvites" then why are you trying to take it back by force when those who kept you away are dead? And why didn't you blast the Silver Shrine out of the sky if the Zelos Fist, or whatever you called it, is more powerful than even the Gigas?"  
  
"I'll answer your second question first since it is the easier of the two." Celeste said slowly, taking a deep breath, obviously tired of answering questions. "The Zelos Fist was not used because it lacked a lens, or something to focus it." Celeste picked up the small green moon stone once again and tossed to Ryne, who instinctively caught with his right hand, causing it shine brightly with green luminance.  
  
Finally, it dawned on Ryne. all the pieces of the puzzle floating around in his brain came together to form a crystal clear image. One he didn't like at all.  
  
"My mother.."  
  
"Is being used to focus the Zelos Fist weapon." Celeste finished for him. "The only thing that could withstand the energies being used is a silver crystal."  
  
Ryne tried to form the right words, though nothing seemed to be escaping his lips.  
  
"So she's. she's dead?"  
  
"No, your mother is perfectly alive." Ryne let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "The power of the silver crystal is much more potent when the host is still living."  
  
"So there's still a chance to rescue her?..." Ryne said softly, almost to himself. His hope had been renewed.  
  
"Not likely." Celeste said. "I'd say it's almost impossible."  
  
Ryne smiled, remembering the immortal words of his father.  
  
"Impossible is a word people use to make themselves feel better when they give up." 


	12. Chaper 11 The Roc

Chapter 11 - The Roc  
  
"I've already seen the skiff, don't you have anything larger, y'know, with firepower?"  
  
"I'm sorry Mr. Delasari, but you don't have enough money for anything larger than this skiff right here."  
  
Leos looked over at his sister who shrugged her shoulders and look at Ryne who was standing at her side. He too shrugged apologetically.  
  
"Sorry Leos, I wasn't exactly planning on needing a new ship, so I didn't bring any money."  
  
Leos sighed and turned back to the dealer. "Alright, we'll think about it and get back to you." With that said, he turned and walked between Ryne and Jaycera, turning them around and pushing them the other direction back toward the Inn.  
  
Ryne shook his head. Three days ago Vealik had dropped them off in Horteka, the new capitol of Ixa'Taka with just enough money for three nights at the Inn. This was their last night and still they'd had no luck finding anything that would be able to make any kind of long voyage with the amount of money that they had. Ry could tell that Leos was beginning to lose hope, but Ryne kept his spirits up.  
  
Every chance he got he tested the depth of the water that flowed under the city by diving off progressively higher platforms. He was up to about twenty feet now and still hadn't found the bottom which never ceased to enthrall him. Jay sometimes tagged along swimming at the bottom in one of Leos' old t-shirts that was almost like a short dress on her, but never dove with him. She said she was scared of heights.  
  
Celeste was rarely around. Other than sharing a room at night with her they never saw her. Ryne didn't complain. She gave him the creeps, though he wasn't' exactly sure why. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Silvites were supposed to be all but extinct.  
  
Leos had done nothing but look for a way out of Ixa'Taka and it was finally beginning to wear down on him. Ryne could see the dark circles around his eyes from lack of sleep and worry. He was starting to miss the laughing, joking, carefree man he'd first met aboard the Seventh Gigas. He hardly even smiled anymore.  
  
Ryne stepped onto the moving platform alongside Jay and took hold of one of the support ropes as it started to move them toward the Inn. Leos sighed and stared out in the general direction of their destination. He felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. and from the tale that his sister had been telling him, it very well might be.  
  
After what had seemed to him to be an eternity, the wooden platform hit the opposite edge, and they all stepped off and walked through the flap that covered the door of the Inn. The short, dark bookkeeper stood behind the desk, her bright green hair braided and ended with a square hairpiece that had been the Ixa'Takan style for ages.  
  
"Welcome back, Delasari party." She said, her wizened face smiling brightly at them. "You will be staying another night, yes?"  
  
Leos sighed and dug into the small leather purse that dangled from his belt, fishing out the last of Vealik's money. "Yeah, just one more." He said, handing over the gold. The old woman smiled and gestured toward their room.  
  
"Your companion already came in several hours ago."  
  
"Thanks." Leos said simply, walking toward the numbered flap they'd been staying in for the past three days.  
  
There were only two beds, and Celeste currently occupied one of them. Her pale form was sprawled all over the bed still dressed in the Ixa'Takan outfit she'd modified a bit, making it just a matching green tube top and skirt. Leos glanced over at Ryne a hint of his old malice gleaming in his eye.  
  
"Think we should wake her?" He asked mischievously.  
  
"Oh, leave her alone you bully." Jay said rolling her eyes at her older brother. Leos simply shrugged and plopped down face first onto the free bed stretching himself, so that there was no free space. Jay growled in annoyance.  
  
"Get off my bed you creep."  
  
Leos' chuckle was muffled but audible. "Why don't you come and make me?"  
  
Jay made a sound that could only be described as a cat-like screech and leapt at him with full force. The unprepared Leos was tackled onto the floor and pummeled him again and again with her small fists. Ryne couldn't help but fall to the floor in laughter, landing on his own bed-mat.  
  
Sometime throughout all the ruckus Celeste awoke, groggily pushing herself from the mattress and wiping the small trail of drool that had escaped her mouth.  
  
"What's goin on?..." She asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning. The she looked over at the spectacle occurring on the other side of the room and a small laugh escaped her lips, the first that Ryne had heard in his whole week of knowing her. It was refreshing to know that she did indeed have some sense of humor.  
  
Finally, Ryne heard Leos' cries of defeat as Jay's head came up triumphantly. She got off her brother, straightened out her bunched up skirt, and fell over onto the bed herself. Leos' head came into view soon after, his forehead scrunched, his eyes staring ruefully at his younger sister.  
  
"Hey, be a gentleman for once in your life, Leos." Jay said, rolling over on her side so she wouldn't have to look at him.  
  
"I've been a gentleman for three nights! This floor ain't all it's cracked up to be y'know."  
  
Jay sighed in exasperation and tossed a pillow down at him. "Sleep on this you big baby."  
  
Leos tossed it back at her. "I already have one thank you," and with that, his head disappeared behind the bed and didn't come up again.  
  
Ryne lay down and situated his own pillow. This was their last night at the Inn. They had to find some way to get out of here.  
  
"You guys, what are we gonna do?" Ryne finally said, breaking the silence that had enveloped the room. "We have to get outta here."  
  
"I'll bet you haven't even thought of where it is we need to go so badly have you."  
  
Leos' words cut through him like a hot knife through butter. He didn't know where he could go. He knew he had to get to the silver moon, but he had no clue how to go about it. As far as he knew there was no civilization that possessed the technology to get to any moon, let alone the silver one. The closest thing he could think of was his mother's ship that his father had kept of Crescent Isle. and that had been leant to King Enrique for the Valuans to study.  
  
"We're going to Valua." Celeste said, as if reading his mind.  
  
"Why Valua?" Jay asked groggily as if she had been on the verge of sleep.  
  
"Because I got us a job this afternoon on a ship that's headed to Valua."  
  
  
  
********************************  
  
Ryne winced when he saw the ship. It was huge and wooden; it's poorly patched sails billowing in the heavy wing that came off of South Ocean. The hull was in poor repair, and he could see places where the boards had rotted entirely, replaced by boards that looked like they'd been salvaged off of another boat, that had itself been rotting.   
  
"What a perfect target for Black Pirates," Ryne said aloud, to no one in particular.  
  
"Actually this ship has seen more combat than there are hours of your life, son, so show a little respect."  
  
Ryne turned to see a short, bearded man, about six foot two in height and almost just as wide, limping their way, a sassy grin on his face.  
  
"I take it you're the new galley crew." He said looking over at Celeste, who in turn nodded back to him.  
  
"Yes sir," She said with cheer that was obviously false, "Let me introduce every one."  
  
Celeste stepped in front of Leos. "This is Leos Delasari. He's not much good in the kitchen, but I'm sure you could use another strong arm on deck." She said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. It was the first time Ryne could remember her voluntarily touching him. She then walked over to Jaycera and draped her arm over her. "This is Jaycera Delasari. She's the cook. You should taste her stews. one word. amazing." Ryne fought off a grin, thinking back to the soup she'd made while they were in the jungle. he could still feel the aftertaste lingering in his mouth.  
  
Last, she came to Ryne. "And finally, this is."  
  
"Raiyne. Raiyne Vynce," Ryne interrupted, thrusting his hand out and shaking the captain's vigorously. Celeste flashed him a quizzical look, but otherwise never lost her stride.  
  
"Raiyne isn't much good for anything but fighting, but he does most of the grunt-work of the galley, like moving supplies and peeling potatoes." Ryne put on a lavish smile. He was far too used to peeling potatoes. As a cabin boy on his father's ship it had been one of his main duties.  
  
The captain looked at him full in the eyes, and Ryne noticed the log jagged scar that ran down from his forehead, through his eye, and ending at his chin. He tried to keep from staring at the white sightless eye, and finally averted his gaze entirely. The captain clasped his arms behind his back, pushing back the cloak that he wore, flashing a hint of silver that was soon gone.  
  
"I am Jerusha Strong. I am the captain of the Roc, and currently your employer. I've been sailing these skies for thirty-seven years of my life, have seen all six moons, and aided in the final battle against Galcien and his armada. I'm old, stubborn, and set in my ways so if you question me or give me any lip I'll toss you overboard personally, am I clear on this?"  
  
Ryne blinked hard. He was a little stunned and taken aback by the captain's introduction, but recovered quickly by chanting "Yes sir" with the others.  
  
"Alright then. Let me introduce you to the Roc."  
  
************************************  
  
Ryne couldn't believe his eyes. The Roc was almost as impressive as his father's old ship the Delphius. The inside of the ship was amazingly clean, the decks almost sparkling and unlike the appearance of the outer hull, everything looked as if it were brand new.  
  
Then he got to the galley. Ryne had never seen such an array of cooking utensils in his life. Hanging from a hug rack suspended from the ceiling was every pot, pan, kettle, and dish that had ever existed on the planet of Arcadia. The only one who didn't seem surprised was Celeste, who never showed any emotion anyway.  
  
"Well, I trust ye know what to do with these." Captain Strong said from behind them, breaking the trance that had overtaken them.  
  
"Uhh. Yeah, of coarse." Jay said weakly.  
  
"Good. You'll find all the ingredients you'll ever need in the cupboards and in the ice box to the rear of the room. I expect a lunch to be ready by one o' clock, which would be in about three hours." Strong looked at each of them individually as if sizing them up, then looked to Leos, "You, come with me."  
  
And with that, Jerusha Strong left them. Leos looked at his sister and shrugged, following swiftly after his new employer. Ryne looked from Jaycera to Celeste and back to Jay again.  
  
"How the heck are we gonna pull this off?"  
  
Jay smiled. "With grace, eloquence, and a streak of dumb luck, that's how."  
  
***********************************  
  
Leos followed Captain Strong back up to deck of the ship, where twenty or so sailors were crawling about the ship like a swarm of insects, preparing it for the voyage. Leos could see the skill with which they climbed about the ropes, checking each to assure that they would hold the massive sails in check. These were people who had spent most of their lives on this ship, and knew every small quirk and trick to this vessel that there was.  
  
"I take it you know your way around a ship, Mr. Delasari."  
  
"Yeah, I used to own one of my own." Leos said ruefully, images of his coveted Seventh Gigas popping through hid brain.  
  
"Oh really? What was your trade?"  
  
"I was a merchant, trader, weapons dealer, bounty hunter, anything that suited me at the time and anything that would help me support me and my sister."  
  
"What? No parents?"  
  
"No. My parents were killed by Black Pirates when I was sixteen."  
  
Captain Strong was silent for a moment. Leos wondered what he was thinking about, but didn't voice it.  
  
"So. What is it exactly that you do?" Leos finally said, breaking the awkward silence. Captain Strong looked back up at him, his face suddenly stony.  
  
"Ice trade. We make shipments of pure ice from Glacia to Valua and Nasr. Very lucrative."  
  
"I'd guess so, seeing as your ship is one of the most amazing under the sky."  
  
Strong smiled, taking pride in the compliment of his ship.  
  
"Indeed. I've put a lot of money into this ship, and into its disguise. You wouldn't believe how many pirates have attacked my ship; and in turn had theirs ransacked."  
  
Leos mulled this over for a bit. It was genius. pure genius. There was more to this Captain Strong than met the eye.  
  
"So. Where do you want me?" Leos asked. The Captain seemed to think for a moment then mouthed a silent "ah" is if pulling something out of his memory.  
  
"You've any skill at the helm?"  
  
Leos blinked hard. This man was already trusting him with the helm of his ship? Finally he managed to stutter, "Uhh..um.. yeah. I have a lot of experience at the wheel."  
  
"I figured that, as you said you were a captain of your own once."  
  
"Yeah but. I just got here.. Isn't there anyone you trust a little more than me to take to the wheel?"  
  
"Lad let me explain something to you. On my ship you serve one function and you serve it until you die or quit. which is what has just happened to my last helmsman and kitchen crew. All they know is what they do, and nothing beyond that. So unless you'd like to spend the rest of your career on this ship as a deck swab, take the wheel."  
  
"Uhh.. Yessir!"  
  
Leos followed him to the upper deck, sighting the large wooden helm, its grips jutting out inviting him to take them into his hands. He curled his fingers around the ten o'clock two o'clock position. It felt so good to get his hands on at the helm of a ship again.  
  
"You know how to get to Imperial City from here?"  
  
"Yeah," Leos said glancing at the compass, which currently read south- southwest. "We need to do a complete one-eighty and head north-northeast until we reach the Giant's Seat and then go directly northeast until we reach the Great Gate."  
  
"Good Lad. get us there."  
  
Leos uttered a quick "Ay ay" and waited for the rest of the crew to finish their tasks. It took no longer than twenty or so minutes until they were in the skies once again.  
  
****************************  
  
Ryne was exhausted. There was more to cooking than he'd EVER given Polly and Urala credit for. especially when it was for fifty people. He'd sliced more onions, stacked more crates of crackers, rolled more barrels of loqua than he ever wanted to count ever again. The problem was there was still dinner left to do.  
  
Ryne set a crate full of onions down on the counter next to where Jay was working over the stove. Closing his eyes, he let himself fall against it almost making his way into a sweet state of bliss... until the smell got to him. Something smelled absolutely wonderful. He opened his eyes to see what it was, and found Jay stirring a huge man-sized pot full of brown broth, Celeste making her way over to her every once in a while to drop some chopped meat into the pot.  
  
"What is that?" He finally asked, still leaning lazily against the crate. Jay looked over at him and smiled.  
  
"Grouper Stew. My mother used to make it all the time when I was little." She continued stirring the pot, while it began to simmer. "We always ate it with grilled cheese, or some other kind of sandwich." She said nodding toward a basket full of toasted sandwiches. Ryne shook his head.  
  
"How did I miss all of this cooking going on?"  
  
"Don't you remember? We were keeping you quite busy." Celeste said, breaking her usually taciturn nature. Ryne faced the onion crate again.  
  
"Oh. yeah."  
  
"We're going to need to you open that eventually you know." Jay said in a slightly mocking tone. Ryne nodded, not looking at her his forehead resting of the edge of the crate.  
  
"Thanks for the reminder."  
  
Ryne pushed himself off the crate and reached for the crowbar, something he'd become quite familiar with. With a grunt of effort, he pried off the wooded lid, releasing a pungent onion smell. He wrinkled up his nose and snuffed the smell out of his nostrils.  
  
"You sure you want to use these?" Jay wiped her brow with her sleeve and leaned over to smell the crate.  
  
"Yeah, they're fine. Toss about twenty of the big ones over to Celeste."  
  
Ryne complied, rooting through the box for the biggest bulbs he could find and throwing them over Jaycera's head to Celeste, who waited with a knife. In a matter of minutes the room was filled with the smell of onions, Celeste's expressionless face showing a hint of tears. Ryne turned around and leaned against the countertop, his head resting on the cupboards. He couldn't sleep with the smell that permeated the room, but that didn't make him any less tired. He watched as Jay kept stirring the pot full of brown broth, little white chunks of onion, meat, (and other ingredients he didn't see her put in) floated to the top and sunk to the bottom. Every once in a while she looked over at him and shook her head in amusement, but for the most part she left him alone. The only work left to be done was the serving. Ryne finally pushed himself off of the cupboards and unlatched the service window, where a large group of sailors were waiting at tables, drinking loqua and chatting among themselves. Leos wasn't anywhere to be found. Ryne shrugged and put out the baskets of sandwich's and then went back into the kitchen to roll out the pot of stew.  
  
***********************************  
  
Ryne collapsed into his assigned bunk. He didn't imagine having any trouble sleeping tonight. He didn't even bother to take his boots off, just got himself horizontal in the least about of time possible. Dinner had been worse than lunch. Twice as much had to be cooked which meant that twice as much had to be carried. His back was killing him, and his arms felt like limp noodles at his sides. He was happy when the cleaning had been finished and he was allowed to say good night to Jaycera and Celeste and get the heck out of the kitchen.  
  
"Rough night?" a voice said from direct above him. Ryne was too tired to jump, but was started nonetheless.  
  
"Yeah. where have you been?"  
  
"Ohh y'know, sneakin into the girl's room and stealing their undergarments." Leos said, and Ryne could just imagine the grin on his face.  
  
"Good for you." Ryne muttered.  
  
"So did you have fun with the ladies today?"  
  
"Oh yeah, you know how wild women get after cooking all day."  
  
"That bad huh?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Ryne rolled over on his stomach. He didn't really feel like chatting at the moment. The only thing on him mind was getting some rest.  
  
"Hey can we finish this conversation in the morning?" Ryne pleaded.  
  
"Sure Ry. sleep up. Dream of pretty girls with ladles"  
  
And he did.  
  
***********************************************  
  
Author's Note: Hmm, well I've never done one of these before, but everyone else seems to have them, so I figure what the heck, I'll pop up and say hello. Actually, just wanted to apologize for not getting this out sooner. I've been working on it for about three weeks now, devotedly for about one. Anyway, hope ya enjoy it. I don't even know fully where this is going, I just have a vague outline of the main events of the story and it's always evolving in my own mind, so anything could happen! 


	13. Chapter 12 Empty Arrival

Chapter 12 - Empty Arrival  
  
Jay was restless. She shifted her position in the small cot once again, turning onto her side and trying to close her eyes. She felt like she was exhausted beyond sleep, which didn't seem to make much sense but it was the only thing she could come up with. Finally, she threw the thin smelly sheet off of her body and got out of bed, feeling her way through the darkness. It had been their second day aboard The Roc, and having to get up at four the next morning so she could get a head start on breakfast, she didn't really understand her insomnia. Her first full day cooking had seemed to drag on forever, giving her way too much time to think about her life, past, present, and future. It had been so long since she'd been able to attach herself to anyone that her developing feelings for Ryne were scaring her. Ever since her parents died she hadn't opened her heart to anyone aside from her older brother. She barely even had time to socialize, let alone make friends and have romantic interests. She didn't know how she'd become so close to him in such a short time. Sure, he was attractive in an odd sense with his snow white hair and soft features, but was it merely just attraction? Or had he opened up something deeper within her, something she thought was killed long ago. Love was complex and couldn't be built in a day, a week, or even a year, but something was surely budding. The question was, could she handle it?...  
  
"It's awful late for young women to be roaming around a ship full of repressed men."  
  
Jay didn't even have to turn to know who it was.  
  
"Don't you have something important to be doing." she said, annoyed.  
  
"Nope, couldn't sleep. That guy friend of yours snores louder than dad used to." Leos said, leaning against the railing that edged the ship. Jay sighed and let her self fall to his side.  
  
"Me neither. I think I'm too tired to sleep."  
  
"I hate it when that happens."  
  
They stood there in silence for a while, neither making a sound, just enjoying a rare quiet moment when they could be family once again. She rested her head against his broad shoulder, comforting herself with his presence. He was the closest thing to a father that she had. Though he might not have done the best at raising her from ten years old, she couldn't ask for anything more. He was there and that was enough. She didn't know how long he stood there, just letting her lean against him. All she knew what that before things began to get fuzzy, she felt herself lift into that air and start to move back inside the ship.  
  
****************************** Ryne awoke the next morning to the sun shining hard into his eyes. Yawning, he bent his right arm over his face and lay for a moment more, trying to find the motivation to get out of bed. He could feel the ship rocking gently, the gentle hum of the engines threatening to lull him back to sleep. They were moving. Ryne gasped in a deep breath of air, coming fully awake with the realization that he was late. very late. Hurriedly he threw his shirt and boots on, running to the kitchen with his shirttail hanging out and his laces untied. As he ran through the hall he passed a very disheveled looking Jaycera coming out of the women's bunk room, wearing nothing more than an oversized shirt. She yawned and smiled as she saw Ryne rush past her and stop suddenly for a double take. The expression of pure confusion on his face was priceless.  
  
". Aren't we supposed to be cooking or something...," He said, finally finding the words.  
  
"Cold breakfast today. we cooked it yesterday after Dinner. remember?" She replied a look of supreme satisfaction on her face. Ryne just stared at her blankly. Jay shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Obviously not a morning person."  
  
"Are you making fun of me?" Ryne said, his expression shifting to that of accusation.  
  
"Indeed I am. what are ya gonna do about it?" She mocked, sticking her tongue out at him. Ryne surprised her by snatching it with in between his fingers and holding on tight.  
  
"That's what I'm gonna do." He said, letting go and reaching around her head to stick his finger in her ear.  
  
"Eww.," Jay recoiled and shoved him away. "You've been spending too much time with my brother."  
  
"Can't help it. he sleeps right above me."  
  
Celeste appeared in the doorway, wearing similar attire and leaning on the doorjamb, folding her arms in front of her. Her expression was sassy, and slightly amused.  
  
"Well. aren't you two just cute."  
  
Ryne grinned weakly and blushed. Jay just rolled her eyes and turned on her heel.  
  
"I think I'm gonna take a hot bath." She said as she retreated.  
  
"Sure ya don't want 'Raiyne' to help ya with that?" Celeste called after her. Ryne turned a deeper shade of red.  
  
"Ha, ha. very funny."  
  
The both watched Jay go, heading for the group bathhouse. The men and women each had a moderately sized pool in which to bathe. Water was too precious a commodity for there to be separate bathes.  
  
"Has anyone ever told you how incredibly blunt you are." Ryne asked when Jay was out of sight.  
  
"No. On the moon we don't beat around the bush as much as you Arcadians do. That and our mates are arranged by the hierarchy, so we don't have to deal with the whole 'courtship' issue."  
  
Ryne mulled this over in his head for a bit. "You mean you don't get to choose your own husband?"  
  
"That is correct."  
  
"What about Love?"  
  
"What about it."  
  
"Well. don't you. how do you." Ryne stammered, trying to find the right words. "What if you have feelings for someone?"  
  
"Feelings are not relevant. Feelings get in the way, cause confusion, and overall are too distracting."  
  
Ryne couldn't argue with the logic of that. It was true, he was confused and distracted. But he didn't understand how you could just get rid of feelings, like so much excess baggage. He didn't ask however, just nodded his head in agreement, ending the discussion. Celeste just turned and walked back into the bunk room.  
  
"I think I'm going to take a bath as well."  
  
Ryne shook his head. He'd been ditched by two women within two minutes. He turned around and walked down the hallway, making his way toward the stairs that led to the deck of the ship. As he pushed the door open, a steady breeze caressed his face and tousled his hair. The winds of North Ocean weren't know for their ferocity, but they never let down, making sailing beautiful. In the distance he could see the jutting mountains of Valua peeking through the mist that always seemed to envelop the continent, giving a depressing feel and mood. They were less than day away from Imperial City at the rate they were going. Ryne walked to the railing and leaned on it, looking out at the all encompassing sky. To the starboard side he could see the Giant's Throne. or chair. he couldn't remember at that precise moment. He didn't know the landmarks of North Ocean that well, as he hadn't traveled them that often. His father had never had much reason to visit Ixa'Taka, and when he did it was usually just a social call.  
  
"Ever been to this part of the ocean, boy?" A gruff voice ask from behind him. Captain Strong appeared leaning on the railing to his left.  
  
"Yeah. once. with my dad." Ryne said, remembering the reason he was there in the first place.  
  
"Ay. I won't press ya on that one, Lad." Ryne looked over and smiled appreciatively. "You've been doin a fine job with those two ladies of yours. I'm gonna be mighta sorry to see ya leavin when we reach Imperial City. Ryne Vyse."  
  
At first Ryne didn't think twice about Captain Strong using his real name. Then he remembered the name he'd fabricated in order to protect himself and his friends from recognition of his infamous family name. His head snapped over to look Jerusha Strong in the eye, his mouth slightly open.  
  
"How did you?..."  
  
"Oh come off it, boy, I'd know you anywhere. How many other people on this world have silvery white hair when they're less than fifty? Plus, rumor's been going around that the famed family of Vyse has gone missing and I have this nifty little poster with your face on it."  
  
Ryne's heart slumped. He sighed and let his head drop into his folded arms. so much for being incognito. He seriously had to do something with his standout hair t he wanted to be able to hide anywhere without being recognized. A hearty laugh began to ring in his ear, and he felt a large meaty hand on his shoulder.  
  
"It's alright. you'll find no enemies of the Rouges on this ship."  
  
Ryne set his chin on arm and continued his silent hunched vigil of the sky. Nothing ever worked out the way he wanted it to.  
  
***************************************  
The day passed slowly as Jaycera worked on the day's lunch which consisted mostly of sardis the men had caught yesterday. Celeste was working silently at her side, filleting and throwing the meat onto a pile for Jay to season and fry up. Mechanically she reached for another piece of slimy meat and tossed it in a shallow pan into some sizzling grease. As it plopped in some of the hot oil splashed out and hit her on the hand. Grimacing, she wiped her burnt hand on her apron. Frowning she looked at the back of her right hand, noting the numerous red burns on her hands that were constantly bringing her back to reality.  
  
"Want some ice for that?" Celeste asked, not even looking up from her cutting board. Jay glanced down at the water puddle that was already forming beneath her feet.  
  
"No thanks, I can handle it." She said, grabbing another piece of meat, seasoning it, and gently placing it in the pan and pulling out a finished piece.  
  
She hadn't seen Ryne since that morning. Celeste told her that Captain Strong had asked him to help with preparing the ice shipment for when they reached Imperial City sometime during the night. Jay could feel the anticipation on the ship, filling the air with an energy that was contagious. She didn't quite understand it. She supposed that the sailors were eager to get off the ship and onto solid ground, but they were beginning to edgy, and a little giddy. They kept coming into the kitchen without saying a word and going back into the ice box and coming out with large chunks on wheeled dollies. She knew that Strong dealt in ice and wouldn't have thought anything of it except for the vibe the sailors were giving off. Jay sighed and shook her head. It was probably nothing. What did she know about reading people, she'd been living on a small ship with her brother for six years and wasn't exactly a people person. Finally, she just quit thinking altogether and let her hands work by themselves. They knew what they were doing.  
  
***************************************  
  
One more chance.Find the Boy.  
  
Vaulrik's commands were ringing through his head, instructions coming into his mind through Fynis.  
  
I have managed to subdue the woman by promising her that her son would not be killed if she cooperated. I will destroy the Ixa'Takan control point at midnight, valuan time. Take that chance to capture the boy. alive. If he dies, you die.  
  
Gideon nodded mentally, not considering failure. He was growing impatient with waiting. He'd been trailing the large wooden ship where Ryne's energy signature was from beneath the clouds. He'd found the boy quickly after reaching the surface of Arcadia, but it would have been too difficult to capture him on a boat load of sailors without the threat of Ryne being seriously harmed, so he was waiting. But soon they would dock at the Valuan Capital, and the wait would be over.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Celeste lay in her cot, thinking. For her, the day had passed rather quickly and before she knew it she was here in her bed again, left alone for her thoughts to consume her. She wished she were back in the kitchen, preparing food for ungrateful sailors like a mindless drone. Anything was better than this. In her mind's eye she could still she the radiance of the silver oblique sphere, burning and crashing into the depths of the Ixa'Takan forests. The death of her only friend was still fresh in her memory, playing in front of her eyes at every idle moment, reminding her of the cost of her choice to defect from the Silvite hierarchy and join the group Eternum. She had been Elder Philia's last hope for peace on the planet of Arcadia, and now she was stuck here with a group of children.  
  
You're still a child yourself...  
  
She was only in her early twenties. why did she look down on these people as if they were juveniles?  
  
Because they have something you don't.  
  
But what? Celeste couldn't take it anymore. She pressed her face into her pillow and wept silently.  
  
***************************************  
  
Leos was tired. Normally he would have been able to call for a drop anchor at around nightfall so that he could get some sleep. But tonight, Captain Strong had insisted that they press on toward Imperial City. He looked up at the pale yellow moon through the dense cloud cover, estimating the time to be somewhere around eleven or eleven thirty at night. He could see the glow of lights over the edge of the mountains that told him he was almost there. Leos was headed for the northern channel that led directly behind the new capitol building of the fledgling city. The northern channel had been cut into the side of the mountains around fifteen years ago, in a desperate call from King Enrique to get people to work again. After the rains of destruction Valua had been in a horrible economic state, many jobless, starving, and blaming their new king. Enrique however, also broke and on the verge of losing his throne, came up with a plan to get people back to work again. He would start digging channels and tunnels through the mountain sides that would serve the dual purpose of letting more trade come through and generate more revenues for the kingdom itself, and give those who were jobless a change to get back on their feet, and start paying their taxes once more. What was produced was a strong new country, that was once again feared and respected. Leos was relieved when he finally saw the light shining through the huge gash that separated the mountains. As he neared, he saw two dephinus class warships keeping guard over the channel. He could see that they weren't armed with moonstone cannons, but they were a more than formidable match with their various array of cannons, all of which were pointing his way. One of them was powering their way, at a speed Leos didn't think ships that size could attain.  
  
"PLEASE STOP AND PREPARE TO BE BOARDED." A booming voice called through a loudspeaker. Leos sighed and called to the engine crew through a talk tube.  
  
"Hey guys, we're being boarded. Stop the engines."  
  
Leos immediately heard the silence of the idle engines as they drifted slowly without propulsion. It took the Valuan ship no time at all to reach them, and pull the ships together. Leos could see Captain Strong walking across the deck to meet the oncoming Valuan representative who was guarded by a contingent of heavily armed and armored soldiers. The man was wearing the clothes and colors of an admiral, his decorative armor shining from under a heavy cloak. He looked slighted annoyed by the soldiers that encircled him, and shoved them aside to hop over the railings that separated their two ships. The confused soldiers followed after him, though looked rather clumsy as they tried to get over the railings in their heavy armor. The Captain stopped at mid-deck and clasped his hands behind his back.  
  
"Ah, Admiral Gent. Nice to be seeing ye again, sir." Strong said, through his thick sailor's accent.  
  
Gent smiled through his thick black beard and nodded, the moon reflecting golden hues on his slicked back hair.  
  
"Jerusha Strong, to what do I owe this honor."  
  
"I got a shipment of ice here for that King o' yers." The Captain said, straightening out his overcoat as if to make himself more presentable.  
  
"I trust you have acquired the proper permits and have authorization to be here."  
  
"Yeah, Yeah. I got ya dang papers." Jerusha reached into his breast pocket and pulled out some crisp papers which bore the seal of Valua. "I hear that King of yours is thinkin about stepping down. letting the people govern themselves now that the country's back on it's feet." The Captain said, talking idly while Gent checked his papers with a pale lantern.  
  
"Cut the small talk Strong, I have specific orders to check your vessel thoroughly." Gent said crisply, ignoring the insignificant question. "The admirals are still reeling over the fact that King Enrique believes that you really went legit."  
  
"I ain't lookin for no trouble Gent. I know we've had our run-ins in the past, but this is a lucrative business I got here. I don't have no need to ransack your city no more."  
  
Gent just shook his head and handed the documents back to Jerusha.  
  
"You do understand that my men are going to watch ever step you take while you're here." Gent said, turning to leave.  
  
"I'm looking forward to it, Admiral." The old sailor said, bowing low and formally. Gent just shook his head again and hopped over the railings, his guards following not so gracefully after. The Captain stood and watched the other ship for a while, his hands clasped behind his back, making him look taller than he was. Finally, he turned.  
  
"All right men, full speed to the palace dock!"  
  
And with that simple order men scurried everywhere, getting back to their assigned tasks and preparing the ship for the dock.  
  
*************************************  
  
Jay awoke to a gentle thud which resounded throughout the ship. Her first thought was cannon fire and she sat upright in the small cot, which turned out to be a not-so-good idea as her head ricocheted off of the bunk above her, which Celeste currently occupied. Confused and in pain, Jay fell out of the cot and stood up rubbing her forehead vigorously. Celeste jumped off of the top cot and put her hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Are you alright?" She asked, genuinely caring about her welfare. Jay just rubbed all the harder, grimacing.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be alright. the only thing seriously injured is my pride."  
  
Celeste chuckled under her breath and left her side and grabbed her only real possession. her hip pouch.  
  
"You might want to gather up your things." She said to Jay, who was now standing fully upright and blinking her eyes furiously. "We've reached Valua."  
  
Jay nodded shook her head as if to clear it. Celeste left the darkened room and Jay grabbed her duffel bag which she'd packed earlier in the day. The deck was bustling with activity. Men were running around frantically, shoving around large carts with huge blocks of ice on them. The blocks were covered in wet cloth, which Jay supposed were wet because the ice had started to melt. why the cloths were on them she had no clue and was really too tired to care. Captain Strong was in the middle of it all, giving directions when needed, but mostly just standing and watching as the carts were wheeled into the lit doorway of a huge and aesthetically pleasing building that was only visible dimly in the pale light of midnight. The Captain noticed the girls presence as they approached, looking about for Ryne and Leos.  
  
"All ready, are ye?" He asked over the noise of wheels over planks. The girls just nodded, still looking for their male counterparts.  
  
"Yer boys are helping to unload, but the next time they come out I'll give you your pay and you can go on your way."  
  
Jay blinked hard and looked over at the old man. "Pay?" She asked, "I thought we were just working our way over to Valua."  
  
The Captain chuckled warmly, "Ye were at first. but ye made some dang good food. Lifted the morale of my men. Nothing in the world is worth more than a happy crew."  
  
Jay smiled, having the sudden urge to hug the old Captain. Finally, Ryne and Leos appeared out of the large opening in the monstrous wall, hefting a large but empty cart that had a big wet spot on top. They both looked incredibly tired, and had probably had not had a chance to rest all day. Ryne passed the cart to a waiting crewmember, who took it out of sight into the huge ice box below decks. Ryne was rubbing his right hand gingerly. Ever since they'd docked a twinge of pain had started shooting through his hand. He'd been working hard for too long he supposed.  
  
"Hey Ryne, Leos, your lady friends are waiting for ye." Jerusha called to them, getting their attention his way. The men walked over slowly, and Jay noticed that both of them had their gear already packed and strapped to their backs. No wonder they looked tired.  
  
Captain Strong tossed each of them a small pouch of gold, which was more than any of them expected and took them by surprise. "You've earned it." He said simply, them turned and walked to the upper deck of the ship to supervise the activity on the deck. Leos shifted the pack on his back, which was beginning to irritate him.  
  
"So what do we do now? Go to the front door and knock?" He asked, in his ever-snide way. Ryne gave him a lopsided grin.  
  
"More or less. I know this guy like family. I'm sure he'll be happy to see me alive."  
  
*******************************************  
  
Gideon stood on top of the large, hideously built palace watching from above. His long blonde hair twisted around his face in the ever blowing wind of Valua. He didn't mind. He'd been trained since childhood to ignore the small trivial things. The only thing that mattered was the mission. His life depended on it. He reached down and rubbed the silvery belt around his waist, silently asking the small metamorph for the time.  
  
One minute to go His partner sent through the mind link  
  
Allright then. combat armor  
  
Gideon let out a deep breath as the sliver creature began to grow and creep over his body, sending shivers down his spine. Instinctively he sucked in breath of air as the metamorph reached his head and finally enclosed his body in a shining, almost impenetrable armor.  
  
It's time.  
  
****************************************  
  
Ryne watched as The Roc sailed noiselessly away from the dock, making their way for a main port somewhere in the city. He was almost sorry to see them go. While on their ship he'd had a chance to prove his worth as a sailor, and get his mind off of all that was happening. He couldn't believe that it had been almost a month since his parents had disappeared. So much had happened since then.  
  
"Well. I guess it's time." Leos said finally, starting to walk down the concrete walkway that edged the palace.  
  
Ryne turned to follow, but instead let out a scream as his hand erupted in pain. White light shot out everywhere, illuminating the darkened form that was freefalling from above and finally landing on the concrete sending shards flying through the air, and cutting through clothes and skin.  
  
Ryne was able to yell one last thing before his world collided into darkness.  
  
"Run!....."  
  
Leos felt as if his feet were made of solid stone. For the first time in his life since he'd watched black pirates murder his parents in front of his eyes, he was petrified with fear. The creature, appearing to be six feet tall and a silver color that seemed to refract the light around it, was crouched in a crater it had just made. Slowly, it lifted itself to its feet thrusting out its right arm a beam of jagged energy forming a blade of pure light. Leos finally found his motivation.  
  
"Run!" He repeated Ryne's last wish as he turned to the girls. Jaycera seemed to be stricken with terror just as he was, though Celeste had a serene look of calm on her face.  
  
"Hello Gideon." She said, walking up to the creature. Leos half expected it to attack and lop her head off before she had a chance to get any closer before he realized she had called it by a name.. Gideon. With its left hand it reached up and touched its own face, the metallic skin peeling away to show a smooth, handsome, young looking face. His yellow hair was waving in the winds of Valua, a look on his face that showed no emotion.  
  
"Hello Celeste." He said, his voice flat. "You're supposed to be dead." He glanced over at Ryne's limp body, which Jay was hovering over. "Just like that boy over there. the second person I've failed to kill."  
  
"None of us are going to die, Gideon." Celeste said, a stony look in her grey eyes. Gideon grinned, almost sadistically.  
  
"Well. not him at least." And as if to signal that the conversation was over, he touched a spot on his neck, which trigged the liquid metal to cover his face once more. Celeste didn't move. Not until his blade of energy passed into her body. Celeste's eyes rolled back into her head as her body started to twitch, every nerve in her body being triggered. Finally, her limp body was thrown into the concrete wall and she fell to the ground like a rag doll. Slowly, his head turned to where Jaycera was crying, hunched over Ryne's body. He began a slow walk in their direction, letting each footfall resound in her ears, letting her dread build to a peak before he would make her world nothing. He owed it to himself. He stopped about three feet away from her, leveling off his blade to where it would strike her neck.  
  
".no." was the only thing he heard other than sobs from the girl. Oh yes, he thought to himself with sick pleasure.  
  
***************************************  
  
Jaycera curled her fingers around the old sword that her family had passed down for generations. She could feel it vibrating with an energy that seemed alien to her touch. She could feel his presence behind her, but she didn't care anymore. She was going to end this. For Her. For Ryne. In one swift motion she pulled the sword out of the sheath on Ryne's back and slashed it through the thing's chest. Then Leos found his courage.  
  
***********************************  
  
Gideon was stunned. He looked down in awe at the gaping hole in his chest not realizing that Fyn had turned off his energy pike, saying something about conserving power. He looked from his open chest to the small, pretty girl wielding an oddly familiar sword, whose blade was ablaze with silver fire. It was in this confusion that another surprise took him. The black haired young man, who'd been frozen in his tracks not a moment ago, tackled him full on. Before he knew what was happening, he was freefalling into the depths of Valuan sky.  
  
*************************************  
  
Jay didn't have a chance to scream. Everything had happened to quickly. Stunned, she dropped the blade, which fell to the ground lifeless. In frenzied, confused movements she made her way to the edge of the platform where they were and fell on her stomach to gaze desperately into deep sky. She thought for a moment that she saw them just as they penetrated the thick cloud that covered deep sky, then they were gone. 


	14. Chapter 13 Choices

Chapter 13 - Choices  
  
Ryne awoke in a bed that was too cushy. As the world around him came into focus he could see where he was. He was in one of the royal guestrooms. his in fact. His family had visited the Royal Family so often that King Enrique had given them their own rooms. As Ryne looked around he could see that it hadn't been touched since he'd stayed there not but a few months ago, when his whole family had come to celebrate the Festival of The Moons with Moegi, her husband, and their children.  
  
A pang of hurt stabbed into his heart like an icy blade as he pushed himself up and looked to the foot of the bed and saw a picture of his family. Ryne wanted to cry. He really did. But the tears wouldn't flow. He just fell back down, staring blankly at the ceiling.  
  
He didn't know how long he lay there like that, but in a seemingly short time a knock was heard from the other side of the door and a moderately tall blonde haired and close-cut bearded man with stunning blue eyes opened the door quietly, gracefully, and stepped into the room, his regal cloak trailing behind him with a gentle whooshing sound. He gave a weak smile at the sight of Ryne.  
  
"Ah. I see our honored guest has awakened."  
  
"Hello Uncle Enrique." Ryne said, sitting up and forcing a smile on his face. The King of Valua wore a genuine look or relief as he sat on the edge of the bed and gathered the young man into his arms.  
  
"Thank the Moons." He said softly. "When I heard your family was missing I feared the worst. I'd almost given up all hope."  
  
"Don't give up on us yet." Ryne said, the familial love he was feeling strengthening his spirit. "We're fighters."  
  
"I know, Son. I know."  
  
Ryne sat there for a while, feeling much like the little kid he had been the last time he'd let anyone hold him like this. He had been twelve years old and the little huskra that he had grown up with finally died of old age in his sleep. He could still remember his mother's soothing words as they held a small funeral for Pow. His little memorial was still on Crescent Isle.  
  
He remembered the last time his mother had tried to comfort him like this. He'd been fifteen, and training to become a crewmember, an honor he wouldn't get until he was sixteen. His sparring partner had taken a cheap shot with his blade, cutting deep into his shoulder. Fighting tears, he ran home for first aid. It was a deep gash that required stitches and he remembered breaking down and crying when his mother had wordlessly taken off her belt and told him to bite down. She'd tried to comfort him, to hug him, but he pushed her away. "I'm going to be a man soon." he'd said, drying his own tears, "Don't baby me anymore."  
  
He felt so old now. Like life between childhood and adulthood was no longer an option. He'd grown up. In this realization he pushed himself away from the man he'd grown up knowing as "uncle". His eyes were dry.  
  
"I'm not that kid anymore Enrique." He said, standing up and scratching the back of his neck. The king just looked at him, his bright blue eyes proud.  
  
"I know. You've become quite a man in such a short amount of time. I wish your father were here to see it. He'd be proud."  
  
Ryne smiled. "He'll be proud yet. just you wait and see."  
  
********************************************  
The wind was harsh, blowing away the tears as quickly as they left the face of the ten year old girl. She watched as her brother struggled to steer the dying life raft, his face somehow changed. older somehow. Finally, he slumped against the side of the raft, his arms hanging limp at his sides. She tried to say something, but the only thing her mouth could form were quivers of the lip as she sat in the front of the small boat. Her parents were dead. her and her brother were stranded in the ocean. and their raft was sputtering, dying. She did what any scared ten year old girl would do. She crawled over to her brother.  
  
He already looked dead. His eyes had a hollow, empty look to them. She buried her face into his chest, wrapping her small arms around his body. She felt it was her brother, alive after all, wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"They're dead." she said softly, wetting his chest with her tears. He only held her tighter.  
  
"But I'm not." He said fiercely, "And I promise I'm not going anywhere.."  
  
*****************************************  
  
"Liar." Jay spat, her voice full of venom that she really didn't mean.  
  
She was perched on the edge of her bed, looking into her own reflection. She wanted to see the older, grown up Jaycera, the one who had her wits about her. But she kept seeing a curly headed little girl, her eyes wearing that same hollow deadness that she'd seen in her brother six years ago as they waited for their death on that dying life raft. and she hated it.  
  
What happened to that strong, self sufficient woman that she'd become because of her stolen childhood. She'd had to deal with death before. why was this one any different?  
  
Because he's all you had left.  
  
Jaycera shook these thoughts from her head. Thoughts like these would only dredge her down. She had to find her strength. Back then it had been Leos, but now her was gone. dead. But who did he have? What kept him going?  
  
Hope.  
  
He'd had hopes for her, of the woman she'd become. Now she had to do the same thing. Hope for the best. the best in her. She was the only person who could determine who she would be. And she chose to be Jaycera. the woman. She chose to shove her emotion aside and not let it rule her. What were emotions anyway?  
  
Not even she believed herself.  
  
*********************************************  
Leos could only remember falling, dimly accepting the fate he'd condemned himself to. He and Gideon had fallen through the clouds together, neither struggling. Gideon was reeling with his defeat, Leos was praying to the moons, not really expecting anything. The moons had never come to his aid before. why should they now?  
  
Tylen on the other hand, had a different plan. With all the power he had left he began to morph, expanding and covering the two men. In a last, dying effort he'd managed to form his ion engines his life energy draining away with every second he kept them firing. As they escaped the atmosphere of Arcadia he gathered all that was left in him and fired one last burst, sending them on a crash coarse for the Silver moon, his corpse hardening into a protective shell around them.  
  
**************************************************  
  
Ryne was pacing now. He didn't know how long he'd been recounting his story to King Enrique, but he didn't think he'd ever talked this much in his entire life. His uncle just listened intently most of the time, sometimes asking questions to gather more detail. He told him of his initial abandonment, his rescue, of finding Pirate's Isle destroyed, the crash into the Ixa'Takan wilds, and of Jerusha Strong. At the mention of this name Enrique chuckled.  
  
"Ah. Jerusha Strong."  
  
"You know him?" Ryne asked, his interest piqued.  
  
"Oh yes, I know him." He said, standing up and folding his arms behind his waist. "He's raided Valua many times. Years ago when you were a child he was one of the most feared Black Pirates in the skies."  
  
Ryne scrunched his eyebrows. "What happened? He seemed like a nice enough guy to me."  
  
"Well, after about five years of raiding, we finally caught hold of him. After about a week of ranting and raving in his cell I went down to try a make a deal with him. He didn't even let me speak, just kept on cussing and yelling. As I was about to leave he challenged me to 'stop and fight like a man.' So I did. Oh, by the way, does he still walk with a limp?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Enrique grinned boyishly. "After that I let him go and he never gave me any more trouble."  
  
"And you let him start a legitimate trade and you both lived happily ever after?"  
  
The man shrugged. "The ice thing was a pretty god idea so I let him run with it."  
  
Ryne smiled, clicked his tongue, and shook his head - smiling. "Well, we hitched a ride with him and then I find myself waking up in my nice Valuan room." Ryne stopped for a moment and chewed something over in his head. "Speaking of which, how did I get here?"  
  
Enrique pulled a chair out from under the desk that had been in the corner of the room, sitting down in it backwards and resting his chin on his hands which were folded on the back. His mood had darkened considerably, which worried Ryne. After thinking a moment, he spoke again.  
  
"We found you at about fifteen minutes after midnight. The guards heard some loud noises so they investigated. They told e they found you lying unconscious on the ground with a small, pretty girl sitting up against the wall of the palace staring vacantly off into space and another unconscious body of a young blonde woman whose body was lying against the wall some ten feet from a large crater. They recognized you immediately and brought you inside."  
  
Ryne's sense of growing dread grew as a question formed in his mind. "What about Leos?"  
  
"Leos?"  
  
"Yeah, a tall guy with dark hair. Should have caused some kind of ruckus."  
  
Enrique was silent for a moment, then spoke in soft consoling tones.  
  
"I'm sorry. all we found were the girls and you."  
  
Ryne sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm himself with a technique his mother had taught him long ago that he thought he'd forgotten long ago. Finally he calmed himself enough to speak again.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Enrique scratched at his beard, looking at a loss. "We're not sure exactly. There was some kind of struggle, that much is obvious but no one saw what happened. except the girl and she hasn't said a word to anyone since we brought her in."  
  
Jaycera.  
  
***************************************  
  
Jay shuffled through the closet. She had to keep herself busy or else she was going to lose her mind. She had taken a small venture out into the hallway, but turned back when she saw that everything looked the same in both directions. The clock on the wall said that it was almost noon meaning that she'd only been here about twelve hours. Those twelve hours however had seemed like an eternity. Her only sleep had come fitfully and full of nightmares and she didn't want to return to them.  
  
Finally, she found something of interest. It was a jet black and crimson outfit consisting of a tank top, pants, and boots. She found a loose leather jacket that matched them, and looking inside it saw a strange wraith-like symbol which chilled and thrilled her at the same time. She also found what looked like a fencing mask, but quickly discarded it distastefully.  
  
Grabbing her bundle she went into the adjoining bathroom, took a quick shower, and dressed in the outfit finding it to fit her nicely. The pants were a little long, but she just tucked them into the dark boots. As she was gathering her hair up into a messy bun, leaving two long bangs free, she heard a soft knock at her door. Looking over at the clock again and noting that it was now one o'clock, she figured it was one of the servants again, bringing her some lunch. She was surprised to see a grim faced Ryne behind it, a blonde, regal looking man behind him. The older man patted him on the back and walked off.  
  
Jay looked at Ryne for a moment. Something was different about him. His appearance was ragged, his clothes were filthy, his white hair was unkempt, and he looked as if he hadn't showered in days. which he probably hadn't. But something about him seemed older. Maybe it was the short growth of teenager's beard which had somehow crept onto his face. Maybe it was his musky scent which reminded her so much of her father after coming home after being on a ship for weeks. Maybe it was in the way he just stood there and studied her, his eyes filled with a new understanding.  
  
He was the first to move, gathering her into his arms and just hugging her tightly. She returned the gesture, though there was really no feeling in it. He seemed to notice this small shift in her and pulled back, looking at her as if for the first time.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked, his hands on her shoulders, his eyes boring straight into hers. Jay shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be okay."  
  
She could see in his eyes how much that careless statement hurt him. But she didn't care. Why care? Caring makes you weak. Caring gets you hurt. Caring gets you attached. only to have those things ripped away from you. Coldly, she shrugged his hands off of her shoulders and walked over to where her pack laid.  
  
"How. did it happen?" Ryne asked as she started to sort through her things, throwing out things that were worn beyond repair and replacing them with whatever she found in the closet.  
  
"It was after you passed out. again." She said her voice dripping with venom. "Some thing came out of nowhere and attacked us. He saved us. Tackled it over the edge."  
  
". Are you going to be okay?..."  
  
"I already told you I'm going to be fine! Now buzz off will you." She said, throwing her full pack over he shoulder and walking toward the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Ryne asked, blocking the door with his body.  
  
"I'm going to find my life on my own." She replied coolly.  
  
"But. why?"  
  
Jay threw down her pack, a loud thud resounding into the hallway that she was trying to get into. "Because every since I met you you've brought nothing but complications into my life! Because thanks to you I've lost my ship, the only family I had left, and my life! Thanks to you I have no where to go and no one to turn to."  
  
"But. I thought." Ryne stammered, searching for words he wanted to say, up coming up short. Jay smiled - a look that shot ice.  
  
"Thought what Ryne?" She asked, taking joy in her defiance. "That I had feelings for you?"  
  
"Well. yeah."  
  
Jay picked up her clothes satchel.  
  
"Feelings are for the weak. You get attached to something and it's stolen from you." She pushed her way through Ryne's arms and started walking down the hallway. "Learn this now before you get hurt."  
  
************************************************  
  
The first thing Leos realized was that he wasn't dead. The next thing was that he wasn't falling either. After a little while he'd pretty much come to find that he could move each appendage and each digit on each appendage as well. When he'd gotten around to opening his eyes, he found that he had to shut then again, the absolute brightness seeming to burn his eyes. Finally, slowly this time, he opened his eyes, and found that the world around him seemed distorted and suddenly realized that he was floating in some kind of thick clear liquid. and that he was totally naked. Even that wouldn't have been so bad if the next thing he noticed hadn't been a young white-haired woman, sitting at a bright white console, looking up him with her deep blue eyes brimming with. what was that?... reverence?  
  
He couldn't hear anything through the liquid he was suspended in, but he could see that she was talking seemingly to herself. After a moment another figure entered the room, his dark hair and clothes contrasting sharply with the whiteness of the room. It was almost a relief. He stopped by the console the young woman was sitting at, never taking his eyes off of Leos, talking at her but not to her. He saw her nodding and twisting a few dials he couldn't see, then he heard a sucking noise, and he felt his body lowering to the bottom of the glass cylinder he was suspended in. Eventually he was standing on his own two feet, ripping off the air mask, and trying in vain to cover himself.  
  
This seemed to amuse the dark-haired man, who walked up to the cylinder and pushed a few buttons, opening a small shelf and making a hole appear in the tube. Leos stepped out and the man threw him a soft robe, which he quickly wrapped around himself, tying the belt around his waist loosely. The man handed him a towel and Leos dried his hair, which had grown considerably longer than he remembered it being, along with a full beard which now adorned his face.  
  
"Where am I?" He asked, rubbing the muscles of his shouldered which were screaming at him.  
  
"Welcome, honored brother, to the Sylvias complex." Dark-Hair said, opening his arms wide as if he were going to hug him or something.  
  
"Honored brother? Sylvias complex? What the heck are you taking about?"  
  
The man grinned. The look seemed alien on his face.  
  
"Come. You shall see in time."  
  
*******************************************  
Ryne sat at Celeste's bedside. Apparently she'd been in a coma since they'd gotten here, but Ryne didn't really know the story behind it. He wanted to ask Jay, but she was gone. She hadn't been bluffing. Enrique had offered to send some shadow guard to watch after her, but Ryne had declined the offer. He didn't want to mess with her life anymore. He'd already caused enough damage. So he let her go, though he regretted it now. His heart ached for the companionship she'd provided, romantic interest or not. Now the only part of the group he had left was in a coma. And he didn't even like her that well, let alone get to know her.  
  
Ryne sighed and stood up. He wasn't going to do anything here but sulk himself to death. He walked slowly back to his room, lost in the absence of thought. The only thing he wanted right now was a nice hot bath.  
  
********************************************  
  
Jay walked the streets of Valua. She'd only been gone from the palace a few hours but she was already beginning to worry about finding shelter. She could feel a storm coming and Valua was famous for the ferocity of their rain. She checked in inn after inn, none of the willing to give her a tab to work off. Then the rain started. Cold, Wet, and miserable, Jaycera began to hike back to the palace. It was the only place she could think of to go. She dreaded seeing Ryne there, but she knew it was probably inevitable.  
  
She really did have feelings for Ryne. But the way things were looking neither one of them might last long, and she didn't want to fall in love and then leave him to be crushed by her death. She convinced herself that she'd had his best interests at heart when she'd lashed out at him like that. But part of the plan had been to leave, to get out of his life and now here she was walking right back in.  
  
"That's alright." She said softly to herself. "I'm not going to let him get attached. I won't let it happen." 


	15. Chapter 14 Journals

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:  
  
Hey guys, I've decided to do this chapter in Journal format just to do something a little out of the usual, and let people see the characters thoughts a little better. heck, who am I kidding. I wrote it this way because I wanted to pass the transition time, and because I need a little first person experience. I'm writing my next story in the first person. Anyway, if you like it, sorry it's just this chapter. If you hate it, don't worry, it's just this chapter.  
Chapter 14 - Journals  
  
Day 4 - Ryne  
  
It's been two days since Jaycera came back. I don't know how to react around her anymore. It's like she hates the world around her, me included. My feelings are all muddled, but I need to put them aside for now. the only thing that matters in finding my parents.  
  
Uncle Enrique tells me that he has a plan, but he's not going to tell me until he's sure it will work. I can wait. Patience is something this whole ordeal has taught me. They won't kill my mom because she's needed to focus the Zelos Fist weapon. They'll keep her alive as long as they need it. I don't know why they need dad, but Uncle says that it's probably to keep my mother from struggling, which is probably why they want me as well.  
  
It's hard to understand how all this got so big. The only thing that gives me hope is the fact that my mother is alive. How that'll be for is up for grabs. We're running out of time. I can feel it.  
  
**************************************  
  
Day 5 - Jaycera  
  
Ryne came to talk to me today. I let him talk. I've been wandering around the palace without much to do, and I needed the interaction. but I don't let him know that. I need to keep emotional distance from him. I can't let emotions get in the way. They're far too dangerous.  
  
I've been spending more and more time in the royal library, studying the history of the old world and of the Silvite Civil War that Celeste spoke of. Here's what the books say.  
  
"In the days of advancing technology, each civilization had one area of focus for which they were most known for. The people of the Yellow moon were industrious, their machines famous for their durability and strength. The people of the Green moon were the leaders in medicinal technologies. The people under the Purple moon were known for their vast warehouse of knowledge and their creation of supercomputers. The people of the Red moon were renowned for their art. Those of the Blue moon were masters of weather. And lastly, the Silvites who led the way in the powers of life and death, masters in the art of genetic engineering.  
  
It was a feat in the alteration of their own genetic codes that started the Silvite Civil war. The Master Engineers had uncovered the key to eternal life by refining silver moonstones, which held power over life and death, creating the Silver Moon Crystal. They spliced their own genes with the power of the silver moon crystal. Each of the twelve engineers' altered genes allowed their bodies to produce a crystal within themselves, lengthening their life spans indefinitely.  
  
Fifty years later a young warrior by the name of Delasaris was the first to notice the lack of age in the elite group of men he was bound to serve. As a bodyguard to one of the Master Engineers, he was allowed access too many areas of which only the Masters and their protectors were allowed into. It took twenty years for him to see the agelessness of his Master and to have suspicions unfold within his head. His suspicions turned into accusations, accusations into conflict, conflict into riots, and riots into full scale war. The war raged over the continent of Soltis for a little over a month, ending with the public decapitation of Delasaris, and the exile of the revolutionaries."  
  
I don't know what to make of it. It fits with Celeste's story perfectly, but something keeps nagging at the back of my mind. Maybe it's because the leader of the revolution's name matches almost perfectly with my own.  
  
Day 8 - Ryne  
  
There is a plan.  
  
Uncle Enrique called me into the engineering bay today. What I saw there utterly amazed me. Uncle calls it a "Moon Ship" and apparently it's a project Valua has been researching for the past couple of years. He didn't want to tell me about it because he didn't know if it would be complete in time. I didn't understand what he meant about not having enough time, so he explained that from the information he'd gathered from him, his people had deduced that the activation points for the Gigas were being destroyed in conjunction with the nine day rotation of the Sliver Moon.  
  
According to their information, three points were already destroyed - The Temple of Pyryn, Glacia, and the Dias in the Ixa'Takan Jungles, which left the Maw of Tartas, Mount Kazaii, and Soltis itself. After analyzing their possible motives, the figured that they wanted the Gigas out of commission, or at least unable to be activated. Why would they want to stop the Gigas? Simple, they're planning on returning to the surface to reclaim the lands they'd been ripped from after the Silvite Civil War ended.  
  
The deadline is in 19 days. The moon ship will be complete in 8. The only open window is in 10 days, when the colony is facing the planet. What we'll do when we get there? No clue. All I can do is try and trust in the moons and the famed luck of my family.  
  
Countdown - 9 days to launch  
  
Jaycera-  
  
Mount Kazaii was destroyed today. The information came by way of a spice trader, who fled a panicked nation whose belief system was based on this holy site. The king guesses that the Maw will be next.  
  
They're beginning to train the crew of the newly christened "New Hope". I've signed on, though Ryne doesn't seem to like the idea. hypocrite. I have just as much right to go up there as he does. They took away my brother. They will pay.  
  
Countdown - 6 days to launch  
  
Ryne -  
  
The physical training is grueling. The crew of six has been chosen, and everyday we wake up at the crack of dawn and exercise. I'm glad for our week of isolation in the Ixa'Takan jungles now, as it puts me ahead of the game, as far as physical condition goes. What surprises me most is how well Jaycera's hanging in there. The crew is made up entirely of men, minus her and she's keeping up with everyone, giving even me a run for my money.  
  
She's finally talking to me again. It's somewhat like a teenager talking to her parents, but it's better than nothing.  
  
Jaycera -  
  
Celeste woke up today. Ryne was already in bed, but I was there sitting by her cot. I feel like we share some common ground now. We both hate them.  
Countdown - 2 days to launch.  
  
Ryne -  
  
I'm excited. Everything is falling into place, piece by piece. My body is tired from all the training and physical activity, but since we're so close to launch we get a few days of rest so we can all be at the peak of our abilities. I forgot to tell you all about who comprises the rest of the crew a couple of days ago, and I think it's worth noting. They're good guys. and girls. Yeah, I did say that Jay was the only girl last time, but Celeste woke up since then and is pretty much set on "getting home". Anyway back to the crew.  
  
The crew is comprised of six people, three of which are Jaycera, and Celeste, and I. However, we're pretty much being looked at as the cargo because we have no clue of how any of this works. The other three guys are really the ones who keep this thing going.  
  
First, there's our primary pilot, Rafe Falloy. I've never seen him fly, but apparently he's one of the best in skies. Early twenties, tall, brown hair, brown eyes, he's a good looking guy who's all too sure of it. He's been after Jay ever since she started training with us, but learned early on to look and not touch. He's still got a bruise on his abdomen. He's started looking at Celeste lately, but she's got a way of letting people know what she's thinking with just one look.  
  
Then there's Wallin "Sly" Daragain, who's the ship engineer. If anything goes wrong, he's the guy to fix it or figure out how to fix it. He's a smart guy, which is probably why they call him Sly. He reminds me a lot of Leos and we've become pretty good friends. He's the only one out of the crew that Jay will talk to besides me and Celeste. Oh, and he's twenty five.  
  
Lastly, there's Jerem Derrik who's the back-up pilot and all-around kinda guy. He do almost anything. just not as well as some people. He's a good guy, but he's hard to keep a conversation with. He's the oldest member of the crew, at young thirties. Uncle told me he lost his family in the Rains, so I can kinda relate to him.  
  
Well, that's everybody. You already know about me and the girls. at least I hope you do. Why would you be reading my journal if you didn't!  
  
Countdown - 1 day to Launch  
  
Jaycera -  
  
Ryne came to my room this morning while I was still in bed. I protested of coarse but he didn't listen, just said that if he didn't do this now then he never would. He knelt by my bedside, took my hand in his, and asked me to forgive him. He said a lot more after that, but I can't remember because I broke down and cried right then. It was like all the emotions I'd been keeping dammed up finally broke through and all spilled over at once. All I remember is that he gathered me into his arms and held me, waiting out the storm of emotion. When I finally stopped crying, he held me out at arms length and looked at me with those gorgeous green eyes and said,  
  
"If we ever get through this. I'm going to marry you."  
  
And I believe him. 


	16. Chapter 15 Into the Blue

Chapter 15 - Into the Blue  
  
"What are you thinking about?"  
  
Ryne shook his head, snapping out of a thought induced trace, blinking his eyes furiously to wet them again. His mind had been working in so many directions he didn't even know where to start. Looking at the tall, slender, eel shaped moonship he couldn't imagine how this barely finished metal deathtrap was going to get them to the Silver Moon in about two hours. He looked down at the ridiculous suit he was wear, seeing his reflection in the thin metal skin.  
  
"Oh, just how stupid I look in this thing." He said, with a crooked grin.  
  
Jay chuckled. "I think it has very slimming effect on you."  
  
"That's because you can see your reflection in it."  
  
"Oh is that it? I wondered where you got the girl hips."  
  
Ryne laughed, and repositioned the bubble like helmet he was straddling under his armpit.  
  
"When are you going to get suited up?" He asked, seeing that she was still dressed in the black and red leather uniform of a Valuan shadow warrior. Jay pushed some of her soft curls out of her face and looked at him coyly.  
  
"Whenever I feel good and ready."  
  
"So pretty much, Celeste's in there right now and she likes her privacy."  
  
"Right on the button, Tiger." She smiled, patted his thrice scarred cheek, and headed for the prep room. Ryne walked back to the edge of the platform and turned his attentions back on the ship that screamed "Valuan engineering". He tried to remember what he'd been thinking about when Jay had interrupted his thoughts, but to no avail. Sighing, he just kept studying the unique ship.  
  
It wasn't so much like an eel, he decided. In fact, it was hard to relate to ship to anything else he'd seen before. except maybe Belleza's old ship 'the Lynx'. The nose was flared out in the same style, but it was much longer and had three stabilizing fins near the bottom with three of the biggest engines Ryne had ever hoped to see in his lifetime. It was the biggest thing in the circular launch room, and other than the launch room, the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. even though it technically wasn't even completed yet. Basically, the only systems it had were for getting them there and keeping them alive to get there. This was a disturbing thought to him, but he reasoned that (and confirmed through Celeste) that there would be ways to get them back once they got there.  
  
The Launch Room was incredible for these reasons. The walls were made up of a hybrid concrete which used purple moonstones instead of the normal gravel, and were almost fifteen feet thick. This was to absorb the heat the massive engines were going to put out, and made the whole place amazingly beautiful. It also made the whole place amazingly cold. Ryne wiped his nose, which was beginning to run. Ryne heard the grinding of gears as the thick entrance door opened to let Jay out, and someone else in.  
  
"What do you think?" a familiar voice asked him, as he came to stand beside him.  
  
"I think it's amazing" Ryne said in answer.  
  
"Are you anxious?" Enrique asked him, wrapping himself in his cloak to keep warm. Ryne shrugged, his sigh held visibly in the cool air.  
  
"I guess,' He said finally, "I just want to get it over and done with."  
  
His Uncle nodded and Ryne could see him shiver out of the corner of his eye. He cocked an eyebrow and grinned.  
  
"What's the matter, old man? Can't take the weather?"  
  
Enrique put on that small smile of his and looked at the young Silvite with an expression of endearment.  
  
"I never was a big fan of the elements."  
  
"I know, I heard all about how sea-sick you got when you first joined my dad's crew."  
  
"Hmmm. I thought I had that let out of most history books."  
  
"You forget. I have a direct connection to the source." Ryne said, leaning on the railing that kept him from falling and gazed down at the bottom of the pit the ship was contained in, where countless workers were getting the ship prepped for flight.  
  
The sky above the launch room had become increasingly dark since Ryne had come in, and he knew in the back of his mind that it was nearly time to go. Ryne finally looked over at his royal companion, who was leaning against the railing, facing the wall, instead of the ship. There were tears coming softly, noiselessly down the King's face, his expression one of neutrality. It was such an odd sight that Ryne couldn't help but watch for a moment in restrained awe. It was the first time he had seen a man cry.  
  
Enrique wiped the tears from his face, shaking his head and looking over at Ryne with a sad smile on his face.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said, wiping his nose now, "Not many people get to see me like this. you should feel honored."  
  
Ryne smiled, not quite able to laugh while a man was crying. He placed his hand on the older man's shoulder and squeezed it, surprising himself with the sudden shift it roles. Hadn't it just been days before since his uncle had comforted him like this?  
  
"Don't worry about a thing. I have my family luck on my side." Ryne said, forcing a grin. Enrique smiled appreciatively and patted the hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I know. but you're going to need more than just luck to get out of this one."  
  
"Pray to the moons, and hope for the best." Ryne said as Jaycera, Celeste, Sly, Jerem, and Rafe came in through the thick moonstone plated doors, all wearing suits similar to his and carrying bubble-like helmets under their arms. "Well, looks like it's time for the show to start."  
  
"I'd guess so." The King said, looking up at the sky, which was now filled with the few stars that could be visible through the think cloud cover. "You know if it's still a free world in a week and half, I think I'll give up my position as king." Enrique pushed himself off the railing, his eyes fixed on the sky above. "I haven't seen the stars in so long."  
  
Ryne gathered the older man into his arms, hugging tightly the only father figure he had right now. His uncle returned the gesture just as fiercely.  
  
"You bring back that old man of yours, you hear me?"  
  
"Is that a royal order, your highness?"  
  
"You bet your life it is."  
  
Ryne broke contact, and stepped back from the King of Valua. The rest of the crew opted instead to show their gratitude and homage by kneeling and thanking him instead. Ryne stood at the end of the straight line they formed next to Jay, while they each paid their respects not really paying attention to what each said until they were all standing in their line again. Enrique, now fully in control of his emotion stood in front of them, his arms clasped behind his back in a military fashion that came from years as the commander in chief of the largest military force on Arcadia.  
  
"I applaud your bravery," He started with his voice at an even inflection as if he were making a speech, "I hope you all know just how much is riding on your shoulders. Not only will you be the first people of the new world to make the first voyage into the depths of space, but you will also be the first, and hopefully last, hope for the free peoples of Arcadia."  
  
"In little more than nine days or so, the world as we know it will be invaded by an outside force, not seen on this planet for thousands of years. The remnant of the Silvite race, imprisoned in the silver moon all these years by their own people, will go to war with Arcadia in an attempt to regain what they lost. a home."  
  
"First and foremost, our goal is a diplomatic one. If peace can be attained, if we can somehow convince the Silvites that we can live together in harmony, then that is our primary objective. If not, it is your job to find a way to either stop them from there or slow them down enough that I can manage an alliance with the leaders of the other major nations. I hope it doesn't come to war. and if it does. I hope we stand a chance."  
  
The middle aged king stopped for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. He took the time to look into the eyes of each and every member of the crew of the 'New Hope', Ryne being the only one who could match his gaze.  
  
"I don't know what kind of home you're going to come back to," he said finally, "I just hope and pray that you come home. May the Moons give you strength."  
  
And with those words, Enrique, king of Valua and one time savior of Arcadia, left them standing there.  
  
"Well boys. and girls," Rafe said, remembering the two women who were suited up and ready to go, "Looks like that's our cue."  
  
***********************************  
  
A sweat bead rolled back Ryne's face, reminding of the position he was in. The fact that his sweat was rolling more toward the direction of his ears instead of his chin was unnerving. Ryne shook his head, closed his eyes, and tried a breathing exercise his mother had taught him to tray and calm himself down.  
  
"Are you alright, Ry?" Jaycera's voice asked through a microphone and into his earpiece.  
  
"Yeah. just trying to adjust to the fact that I'm strapped to about a couple hundred tons of moonstone fuel and all I can see is the night sky, and throughout all this I'm lying down." Ryne said with a slight edge to his voice.  
  
"Calm down, Ryne." Celeste said in that cool voice of hers. "Space travel is nothing to be uptight about. Our race has been doing it for thousands of years."  
  
"That doesn't comfort me any."  
  
Ryne couldn't see Celeste shrug, but he knew she must have. Ryne took another deep breath and just looked straight ahead past the seat of Wallin, who was working furiously at some kind of switchboard, and kept his eyes fixed on one star, keeping his mind clear.  
  
Suddenly, a voice came over through the earpiece, one he'd never heard before.  
  
"May the Moons guide your path 'New Hope'."  
  
Then the voice started to count off recessing numbers, starting with sixty.  
  
".60.59.58.57.56."  
  
"Hey, do we get in-flight peanuts?" Sly asked from the seat in front of him, his fingers never halting their swift pace over the switchboard."  
  
".50.49.48."  
  
"Not the time nor place Wallin." Jerem scolded from his seat, furthest from Ryne. Their seating arrangement was Sly front and left, Rafe center, Jerem front right, which left Ryne strapped in behind Wallin, Jay behind Rafe, and Celeste behind Jerem.  
  
".42.41.40...39."  
  
"I'm just saying a little refreshment would be nice. I mean we are tryin to save the world and stuff."  
  
"SLY!" Rafe yelled, "I'm trying to concentrate!"  
  
".36.35.34.33."  
  
"Hey, your job hasn't even started yet, chaka!"  
  
".26.25.24.23."  
  
"Just keep talking then. I'll be sure to crash into the closest landmass."  
  
".15.14.13."  
  
None of this was helping Ryne stay any more calm. In fact, if he hadn't been strapped down, he probably would have bolted for the door. Not that that would have made any difference. It was sealed shut and the only person who could open it was Wallin.  
  
"...12.11.10."  
  
"Engage thrusters." Jerem said calmly to Sly, who grinned and flipped a couple switches. The whole ship began to vibrate wildly, feeling as if it would fall apart at any moment.  
  
".7.6.5.4."  
  
Ryne clutched the armrests of his seat, not really able to get a good grip on it since his hands were covered with the metallic gloves they all wore to protect them from any unknown radiations from space.  
  
".3.2.1. liftoff."  
  
"Waaaaaaahhhhooooooooooooo!!!!!!"  
  
And they did. At first it seemed to Jay that they were moving no faster than she could walk. Then she felt her body begin to press into the back of her heavily padded chair, her face seeming to pull back off of her face and pool into the back of her glass helmet. To Ryne, it seemed as if death had finally come to him.  
  
His vision began to blur, all the blood leaving his face and eyes causing him to see white spots cross his line of vision. Finally, things began to go back to normal as his body began to adjust to the incredible speed they were clipping along at. His breath was shallow and ragged, coming more in gasps. Wallin turned around his seat to look at him with a grin.  
  
"Let's do that again!"  
  
Ryne smacked him on the back of the head, which made him feel a lot better. He could see the Silver Moon through the front viewport, somehow looking bright and ominous at the same time. Finally, Ryne remembered what was tugging in the back of his mind.  
  
"What time is it?" He asked. Jerem looked back at him knowingly.  
  
"About ten till twelve."  
  
"So. what happens if we're in the way?"  
  
"Then I guess we could kiss this mission goodbye." Rafe quipped.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about it." Jerem said, covering for his pilot's bluntness. "Its target is the Maw, and that's about a hundred and fifty miles from Imperial City. So we're pretty safe at this distance."  
  
Ryne was comforted by this fact, and relaxed a little only to find out that when he did so his arms decides to defy what he'd thought had been a pretty good law called gravity, and float up, instead of down.  
  
"Ummm.. Guys?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Is this. uhh. normal?"  
  
Rafe looked back at him, a look on minor irritation on his face. "Is what normal?"  
  
"This."  
  
Ryne unsnapped the harness that kept him anchored to his seat and pushed himself lightly out of the chair, hanging in suspended in the air as if he were underwater. In a flurry of motion, hands went for their own harnesses, clicks sounding throughout the room as bodies began to fill the air. All except for Celeste, who stayed strapped to her seat, watching them with the amusement of a person viewing a pack of trained monkeys.  
  
"You Arcadians are too easily amused." She said, in a tone that was oddly affectionate for her. Jay looked down at her from her perch on the ceiling and grinned slightly.  
  
"Says the woman who's never been amused EVER."  
  
"I'm amused right now."  
  
Ryne shook his head and went into a lazy somersault, tucking his knees as close to his chest as he could. Weightlessness was something that was suspected and recorded in history book of the old age, but was thrilling all the same. There was something about not having the burden of weight that made them feel free. like every physical law was shattered and they were invincible. But al things must come to an end eventually.  
  
".New Hope, do you read?..."  
  
Rafe looked hesitantly toward the comm unit, while Jerem pushed himself on a coarse that would drift him that way. Grabbing the armrest of his chair he pulled himself back into it, flipping a switch next to a microphone.  
  
"Yeah we read ya, Imperial City."  
  
".I trust everything is in order up there."  
  
"Well, we have a few crew members on the ceiling, but other than that everything's just fine."  
  
".Alright then, if anything goes wrong, you know who to talk to.."  
  
"Copy that Imperial City."  
  
"And you should mark your target in about one minute."  
  
"Copy"  
  
Jerem went to work on a keyboard, magnifying the Silver Moon until it filled the small computer screen in front of him. With another couple of keystrokes it turned into a red grid, flashing a ready message.  
  
Jerem looked at the rest of the crew, who were watching and listening from wherever they happened to be floating at the time. He sighed and unlocked his helmet, the contained air escaping with a hiss.  
  
"Well Kids, you can lose the silly headgear now."  
  
Spurts of hissing could be heard throughout the room as glass bubbles began to float through the air, free of their masters.  
  
"In about thirty seconds the Maw of Tartas is going to blown of the face of planet. From where we are, it should be a pretty good show."  
  
The crew gathered at the front viewport where the Silver Moon hung suspended in space. It started as a thin slip of light, barely appearing to be more than a thread of energy. Then it all broke loose. White light began to piece through the ship, making everyone shield their eyes, or look away. Ryne on the other hand, was simply floating in a fetal position, clutching his right hand which burned with white flame. When it stopped, it stopped slowly, taking time to slowly die down, back into a thread of light and then vanishing.  
  
Ryne opened his eyes, surprised that he was still conscious. He rubbed his palm ruefully, but was happy that he didn't black out this time. Maybe he was getting stronger.  
  
Jerem looked at the display screen, which was now zooming in what looked like a large bubble on the surface of the moon. Then a message appeared. Target acquired. Jerem looked over at his fellow crewmembers.  
  
"If you want to get into more comfortable clothing, you know where to go. I'm not here to baby-sit. I trust you're all responsible enough to find the lav and change your clothes without me holding your hand."  
  
It was agreed that the woman would have first dibs to change and shower. well. as close to showering they could get in the ship. more like a sponge bath. Ryne was grateful when it was his turn though. He smelled horrible. Inside the metallic suit, nothing could escape. and his sweat from the initial terror of launch made it feel like a sauna in there. He came out of the lav in a tight, black, shirt that was uniform for the ship, and smelling vaguely like a species of flower that was unknown to him.  
  
Suddenly he was aware of how tired he really was. Yawning, he went into one of the back rooms where the sleeping bags were, oddly enough strapped to the wall. The room was dim, though not totally black, and he could see that Jay and Celeste were already in their bags, Celeste sleeping soundly as she always seemed to.  
  
"Hey there, smelly."  
  
"That's not-quite-so-smelly to you." Ryne said as he worked the zipper of the sleeping bag next to Jaycera's who'd chosen the one on the end. Feeling like a worm trying to work his way into a fruit, he shimmied himself inside, feeling weird that he could be pretty comfortable without a mattress or a pillow. Maybe it was all the sleeping he'd been doing on the ground.  
  
"So its gonna be five days, eh?" He asked.  
  
"That's what I'm told."  
  
"I wonder why it takes so long."  
  
"Oh, I dunno. Maybe it's the immense distance we have to cover."  
  
"I guess that makes sense."  
  
Ryne found it hard to keep up this conversation going. Unconsciousness was eating away at the awake portions of his brain.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"As much of a morning as there can be."  
  
But Ryne didn't hear her last comment. He was already asleep. 


	17. Chapter 16 A Last Hope

Chapter 16 - A Last Hope...  
  
The boat rocks gently as a young teenager holds his little sister, her tears now dry, sticky upon her face and clinging to his shirt. They stopped moving about an hour ago, the energy of the moonstones that propelled them being fully consumed. Now all that was left was to wait for the ones that kept them afloat to die, dropping them into the infinite sky below. He knew the death that awaited them, of the pressure that would slowly rise and crush their bodies before they ever got the chance to see the surface of the planet. He didn't want that. Not for him, not for her. She didn't deserve this.  
  
He held his sister closer to his chest. She was all that he had left now. She was everything. And soon that everything would be taken away from him.  
  
"Where is your strength now." He whispered bitterly to the moons above, "You don't even have the strength to save a couple of kids."  
  
The moons, however, looked at them from their vigil above and smiled upon them. Death was not the plan for these, the last two descendants of a warrior long forgotten by the peoples of Arcadia. They still had a role to play. Death would come only at their appointed time. . . when it would service them, the gods of this small planet.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Ryne awoke in a cold sweat, shaking his head in a vain attempt to dispel the images that filled his head. The sweat beads, free from his face, gathered in the air in front of him, each one forming into a perfect sphere. His breath was shallow and ragged, a sharp contrast to the deep snores that filled the room. Ryne rubbed his face and ran his hands through his wet hair, pictures still fresh in his memory.  
  
The same nightmare had haunted him every night since the first night they had spent in space, three days ago. He dreamt of his mother. She was touching his cheek and saying something that he couldn't hear, because there was no sound to the dream. but he could feel the tears wetting his cheeks, and see them on hers. Then he she pushed him away from her, her body erupting with a light so pure and so bright he had to shield his eyes. Then she was gone.  
  
Ryne didn't know why this scared him so much. His mother had always taught him that dreams had a meaning and a purpose. He'd never really believed it, but if it were true, he didn't want to think about what this dream meant.  
  
His breathing was regular now and he'd clamed down to a state where he could think logically and clearly. He looked over at the glowing red numbers that shining from an over-head information console, finding out that it was four thirty five, Valuan time. He tried to close his eyes and go back to sleep, but it was useless. He'd never been one to go back to sleep after he'd been awakened. Sighing deeply, he ripped open the velcro and pushed off of the wall he'd been strapped to, floating through the doorway to the bridge.  
  
The Sliver Moon was the only thing he could see through the large viewport, its white light casting a soft glow throughout the darkened room. Ryne pulled himself through the seats, working his way to the pilot's seat, the one which afforded the best view. However, he was surprised to find it already occupied.  
  
Jay sat in the large cushioned chair hugging her legs to her chest, the light from the moon casting a silver glow on her features, almost giving her the look of a living statue, her bright blue eyes offsetting the effect. It was in these moments that Ryne couldn't argue that she was undeniably beautiful. This was they way she'd looked when they'd first met; when she was washing his clothes in the belly of the Seventh Gigas; when he'd healed her in the wilds of Ixa'Taka; when she'd given him his first kiss.  
  
Ryne didn't want to stop looking at her, but didn't want her to be uncomfortable if she noticed him watching her. He finally broke the silence.  
  
"Hey.." He said softly, as he took a spot in the chair to her left. A faint smile grazed her lips as her eyes met his.  
  
"Shouldn't you be asleep?..." She asked, even though she was glad for the company he provided.  
  
"I cold say the same of you."  
  
"I had a bad dream." She said, her voice trailing off and becoming distant as her hand went instinctively to her comfort object that hung around her neck. Ryne took that hand into his own, not letting her escape into her own little world as she was so prone to do at times like this.  
  
"Me too." He said softly. Jay smiled again, faint but there.  
  
"I dreamt I was ten again and huddled in the life raft. Only Leos wasn't there with me. He'd joined with the Black Pirates and shoved me out there alone.."  
  
"Leos would never have done that." Ryne stated firmly, leaving no room for argument. "You were the most important thing in the world to him."  
  
"How do you know that?..."  
  
"You were the only thing he ever talked about."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. He told me you were his anchor, keeping him on the right road. He told that without you he'd have lost all sense of right and wrong and probably become the people he hated the most."  
  
Jay smiled and squeezed his hand.  
  
"Thanks, Ry."  
  
***************************************************  
  
Leos followed his Master through the dense foliage. While he had to dodge or move the branches and vines that got in his way, Vaulrik just had to walk while the vines and branches got out of his way. His mastery over the power of the moons allowed him to use the blue moon to create a wind shield around his body. Leos hoped that in time, he would learn this skill.  
  
The past twenty days had gone by a whirlwind. Since he had awoken from the nutrient bath his world had been flipped inside out and upside down. He was a Silvite. The ancestor of the great Delasaris, the man these people worshiped almost like a God. Since this revelation he didn't really know what to think. He liked all the attention he was getting from these people, but didn't know how to react to it. All his life he'd been a nobody. The only reason he'd even gotten shipping jobs was because of the family name and pity. The only thing he'd ever been good at was sailing... and who wouldn't after six years of taking care of a cargo ship pretty much on your own? Now he was somebody... practically a god... or a God in training rather.  
  
Finally the trees and foliage cleared and Leos could see the stars through the dome that separated them from the cold of space.  
  
"Where's Arcadia?" He asked through ragged breaths. Vaulrik smiled at his naivety.  
  
"We're on the dark side right now... a four and a half day night if you will. It takes the Silver moon nine days to do a full rotation."  
  
Leos nodded, his eyes fixed on the stars above. The view from here was extraordinary. With no atmosphere to blur anything and no sun or other moon to vie for light he could see each and every star on this side of the galaxy. It was in this place that he could full appreciate how small he really was, and how little he could affect anything in the grand scheme of things... if there was a grand scheme of things.  
  
"What are we doing here?" He asked finally, his curiosity getting the best of him. Vaulrik merely motioned to a sliver mass. His first impression was that it was water. Until he saw that it was moving... slithering. Then he noticed that in wasn't a body of anything... merely a mass of wholly separate creatures, huddling together into a seemingly larger whole. Vaulrik produced a small clear box from somewhere within the folds of his cloak and handed it to Leos. Leos took it, eyeing it suspiciously.  
  
"What do you want me to do with this?"  
  
"I want to catch one of those metamorphs and contain it in this."  
  
"...Why?"  
  
"Because these small creatures are the single most useful tool we Silvites have ever created. You're going to catch it to be your weapon, your armor, and even your ship."  
  
Leos paused, letting this sink in. "You mean, this thing is just going to let me waltz up there and put it in this box so I can manipulate it."  
  
"No, this thing is probably going to fight, and fight hard."  
  
"I see... so... if it's fighting, why is it going to help me after I catch it."  
  
"It'll be sent to our genetic engineering labs where its will be shaped to obey you and be loyal to you."  
  
"Right, gotcha." Leos said, nodding his head and looking over at the teeming mass of gray with a look of apprehension. "So... any tips on how to do this?"  
  
"Don't touch it. Capture one on the fringes and run... fast."  
  
********************************************  
  
Celeste woke with a light headache. Sighing, she dug her index and middle fingers into the crevasse between the two bones of her arm where a pressure point was that would relive her of the ache. Slowly it died down to a dull throb. Soon she realized that the lights were slowly getting brighter in a simulation of a sort of sunrise, which was a pathetic attempt and probably what woke her in the first place. Grunting, she ripped open the velcro sealed bag she was confined to and floated lazily in the air for a bit.  
  
She'd never felt so at ease in all her life. Ever since she was child she'd been trained by her people to be a spy and a scout. She had no memory of her parents, and her only real friend had been Tylen her metamorph, whom she had caught when she was seven. Even then she knew that he was only loyal to her because he had to be... Silvite engineering saw to that. Now she had... companions... people who would look out for her, and miss her if she were gone. It was an odd feeling. She'd never had to depend on anyone but Tylen, someone who wasn't even human. Now Ty was gone, and the moons had sent her these people to care for her and look after her.  
  
Now she was going home. No... not home, she decided. Home wasn't where she'd grown up. Home was here, with these people... people who'd accept her for what she was, not what she could do for them. Yes, this was where her home was. She was no longer loyal to the Silvites, of any faction. She was loyal to her.friends.  
  
Casually she floated into the bridge of the ship, where she found Ryne and Jaycera playing a board game on the ceiling, whose magnetic monster shaped game pieces clung to the round metal playing board, staring down the opponent pieces. Ryne moved one of his loopers diagonally putting it in jeopardy of the fury of Jay's red Gigas piece. Jay called his bluff and moved elsewhere.  
  
"Dang... I was hoping you wouldn't see that."  
  
"You're about to get beaten... again."  
  
"I know! I know!" Ryne exclaimed, exasperated. Deftly he swooped in with his Yeligar to take out two of her loopers. As if she'd seen it coming, Jaycera took his Yeilgar with her Recumen, sending it around the board to clean up the rest of his loopers, leaving his last piece, Zelos.  
  
"Well, I guess that's it." Ryne sighed, resigning Zelos to it's fate, captured by none other than the two loopers Jay had managed to retrieved.  
  
"You're not very good at this." Jay teased, making a show of sending his Zelos flying off the board and floating through the air. Ryne snatched his piece out of the air and glued it back down to the board.  
  
"Sorry, I spent my free time studying and training. My parents didn't leave me much free time to play games." Ryne pouted, "This is only like the fifth time I've played other that the last ten..."  
  
"And you'd think you'd learn something in those last ten." Jay shot back at him. Ryne gave up the verbal spar, knowing he couldn't win. He kicked against the ceiling, shooting down to the floor, doing a half back flip and landing on his feet, noticing for the first time that Celeste was up and about three inches from his face. Embarrassed, he took a couple steps back, scratching the back of his neck.  
  
"Oh... Hey there, Celeste." He said, regaining his composure. "How long have you been standing there?"  
  
Celeste allowed herself a sly smile. "Long enough to see your defeat."  
  
Jay laughed from her perch on the ceiling, pushing off with her hands lightly, softly falling down to one of the padded seats, grabbing the back of it and sitting on the top of it.  
  
"Good morning, ma'am. How was your beauty rest?"  
  
"Acceptable." She said simply, never being one for small talk. Jay chuckled at her answer, winning a look of confusion from Celeste. "What do you find so amusing?"  
  
"You," Jay said bluntly, "You're so proper about everything. Like life is one long status report or something."  
  
Celeste shrugged and crossed her arms. "I've always felt that to some extent, it is."  
  
"Whatever frenches your toast."  
  
Celeste jumped as something impacted her from behind, the force pushing her forward and up. She shifted her weight quickly to turn herself around, steadying her hands on the ceiling. When she looked down she saw Wallin looking up at her with a huge smile on face, doing what appeared to be the backstroke.  
  
"Morning, Ya'll" he drawled in a thick accent Ryne couldn't place. Celeste pushed herself softly down from the ceiling, hovering in midair. Rafe and Jerem soon joined them, making the room feel crowded to the people who'd been in it since the early hours of the morning.  
  
"I think I'm going to take a 'shower'" Jay said, framing the words with her fingers, and pulling herself through the ship to the lav.  
  
Ryne watched her go, the action warranting a smack on the back of the head from Wallin.  
  
"Ouch!" He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head, "What was that for?"  
  
"I was just listening for a rattle... thought I might have heard something in that empty brain of yours."  
  
Ryne shoved his feet off the floor and tackled hi full on, catching him in the midsection and sending them both flailing into the ceiling and dangerously close to the instrument panels.  
  
"Boys, knock that off in here." Jerem scolded, "You hit the wrong thing and we could all be dead in seconds."  
  
"Eh, screw death." Sly sassed, "I can handle the old geezer."  
  
****************************************  
  
I  
  
These were the exact words going through Leos' mind at the moment. In his arms was the small metamorph he'd managed to get a hold of, knocking itself violently off the walls of the box in an attempt to escape. Behind him was the rest of the swarm, chirping his eulogy.  
  
Finally he saw his master on the knoll, standing nonchalantly with his arms crossed behind his inside of his great black cloak. Not thinking he could run much further, he jumped and rolled, landing at Vaulrik's feet. For a moment he lay there panting, the erratic vibrations of the box he clutched reminding him of his victory. Finally he opened eyes he hadn't realized were shut and looked up, the angry swarm of silver creatures locked in midair, trapped in a prison of wind.  
  
Leos picked himself off of the ground, looking into the transparent box at the small creature who was currently trying to form itself into a blade to break its prison. He hadn't had time to really look at it before. He just grabbed, stuffed, and ran like the gates of hell had been opened behind him... which they just might have been. He hadn't looked back until a moment ago. Now he just stared at the angry little creature in the box with a child-like wonder.  
  
"Good Job, young Delasaris." He heard his master say, breaking his eyes from the little metamorph. "You seem to have captured a youth. They're easier to shape and can be infinitely more powerful."  
  
"Great." Leos said simply, handing over the box to Vaulrik who stashed it someone in the confines of his cloak.  
  
"Let's get back to the complex." Vaulrik turned, his cloak whipping about him. "I've always hated the surface. The wilderness always seemed too artificial... which it is."  
  
Leos nodded, not really understanding. These woods seemed real enough to him...  
  
*************************************************  
  
Time was irrelevant. For this woman it neither raced nor crawled, it just was. She didn't know how long she'd been here, how long she'd be here, or how much of it she had left. She could feel herself dying. Not her body... but her mind. Her body was kept in working order, but her mind was slowly being bent and broken until there would be nothing left. No shred of humanity left in her shallow husk.  
  
Her only hopes rested on her family. Her husband was here too, but he was probably going through worse tortures than she was, physically and emotionally. His body was dying. Every time they brought him in for her to watch his suffering she could see him deteriorating more and more. His eyes were what gave her hope... the light brown eyes that gleamed of defiance, daring them to do their worst. They would never break his spirit. They would kill him first.  
  
Her son was where her real hope laid. She could feel him, always persevering , always pressing on, his mind becoming closer and closer to hers. She couldn't help but smile when she thought of him. He'd taken so much after his father. He'd never give up. He was coming here.  
  
Fina tensed as nutrient fluid pumped into her veins through the tubes in her arms. No matter how many times it happened, it was always be new and horrible each time. She closed her eyes, dreaming of bright brown eyes and shimmering white hair. Without them she'd be dead. But maybe that was unavoidable anyway...  
  
**********************************************  
  
Ryne stared vacantly out of the front viewport. He could feel the presence of his mother, an ever-flowing stream of hope and confidence for him. He could almost pinpoint her location, which might come in handy once they actually landed... which was supposed to be sometime tomorrow night.  
  
In the past couple of days, the Silver moon had come so close that it was the only thing they could see through the viewport. From where they were now, Ryne could see the enormous semitransparent bubble that surrounded the Silvite colony. It was easy to spot because they were rounding the moon now and were currently on the dark side, the light from the colony being the only thing they could see. Ry had expected a grand city of some kind, but all he saw was what looked like a sprawling forest.  
  
Celeste had explained to him that the plant life was needed in order for life to be possible on the moon. The plants supplied them with oxygen and food, as well as food for the animals that stocked the forests, which were hunted (or herded) and eaten. They'd needed all the room on the surface for this purpose, so most of the colony was actually underground, burrowed deep into the moonstone. He also asked her why the milky blue force bubble wasn't completely transparent, and she'd explained that since there was no ozone on the moon, they'd needed something to filter out the harmful ultraviolet radiation. He'd nodded as if he'd understood, but really he'd had no clue what she'd said. Some things just didn't warrant an explanation.  
  
He felt a hand on his shoulder, breaking his silent reverie. He half expected it to be Jaycera, though she'd gone to bed two hours earlier. Ryne didn't want to sleep however, fearing the dream that haunted him again last night. He was surprised to see Jerem standing behind him. He grinned at the older man.  
  
"What are you doing up, Old Man?" He asked, teasing him playfully.  
  
"Telling you to get some rest." He said in a matter of fact tone that wanted no argument. Ryne tested the waters anyway.  
  
"I'll be fine, I'll just sleep in tomorrow."  
  
"No, you wont," his senior replied, "Every morning we've been on this ship, you've been the first one up. I want to go to bed, and go to bed now."  
  
"Why are you so dead set on my going to bed?" Ryne asked testily, getting slightly annoyed.  
  
"Because it's important that you're well rested..."  
  
"What's so important about it?" Ryne snapped, his attitude surprising even him. He'd never been this way before. Why was he playing out a typical teenager now?  
  
"It's important because the future of the people of Arcadia is at stake. We are their last hope. Are you willing to throw their lives away simply because you 'don't feel like it'?"  
  
The remark hit home. A part of him had known how much was riding on him. But his main focus had been on one person... his mother. She was really the only thing that mattered to him, the only reason he was here now. He couldn't see the bigger picture... or didn't want to.  
  
He sighed deeply, smiled at the older man and pushed himself out of his seat.  
  
"You win, Mom. I'm going to bed." 


	18. Chapter 17 Just in Time

Chapter 17 - Just in Time...  
  
"Rafe... If we get out of this alive... I'm going to... ummm... be very VERY happy."  
  
Ryne could barely hear Sly's comment. It wasn't that the microphone in his ear was any softer... but that his body was shaking an rattling so violently that everything seemed like a slur of speech, barely recognizable as such.  
  
"Don't worry, everything's under control." Rafe said, as calm as he could be in a situation like this  
  
"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about."  
  
All that could be seen through the forward viewport was flame, licking its way across the whole nose of the ship, trying in vain to consume it. It wasn't the fire that worried him. He could control and manipulate the fire if he set his mind to it. It was the falling. Or more accurately; the sudden stop at the end of the fall... that and the not knowing when they were going to hit. Jerem knew. He was the one watching the monitors, telling Rafe at what angle he should point the ship. But he wasn't making any public announcements of when. Ryne wanted to strangle him.  
  
Ryne hazarded a glace over at Jay and Celeste, and found them both sitting almost calmly with their eyes closed. Only one of the two actually was. Jay was clutching to the armrests for dear life, praying to the moons with all the strength left in her.  
  
Ryne suddenly lurched forward in his seat as they passed through the energy dome that contained the Silvite colony's atmosphere, losing much of their momentum. Apparently too much, for Rafe was now fighting with the control yokes desperately, trying to stop the aggressive spin they'd gone into.  
  
For the first time, Ryne noticed that there was now gravity. because his insides were flipping about, threatening to spill out of him if pushed much longer. Thankfully, they weren't.  
  
In a scene that gave him an incredible sense of deja vous, he saw the ground rushing up to meet them, and heard the loud thwacking sounds of some of the taller trees hitting the bottom of the ship. Suddenly, without warning, the nose of the ship caught something in the foliage, flipping the tail end up and the ship completely upside down. Ryne heard and felt something explode from behind him before all the lights and instruments in the cabin flickered off, the darkness that enveloped them reminding them all that they were on the dark side of the moon, or would have reminded them if any of them had their eyes open.  
  
Finally, the masterpiece of Valuan engineering and ingenuity came to rest, belly up in the middle of a huge, dense forest on the surface of Arcadia's silver moon, completely ruined beyond repair.  
  
It seemed to Ryne that the shaking continued long after the ship had come to a stop. But as he finally let himself relax, his arms hanging above his head, he realized it was just him. With one hand clutching firmly to the straps, Ryne pressed the central release button, his body falling to the ceiling below him. He had intended to hang on the straps and lower himself gently, but his grip had roved to be less than formidable.  
  
Lying on his back, Ryne used what was left of his strength to take the glass helmet off, and take gasping breaths of air... fresh air that was now blowing through the many holes in the metal skin of the craft. He felt a rush of air hit his exposed face heard a soft thud as Jaycera came tumbling down after him, likewise freeing herself from the stuffy helmet, her hair a mess of black curls hanging over her head in a hopelessly tangled knot.  
  
"Well..." She said between gasps of air, "We made it."  
  
Ryne didn't say anything. He didn't think anything needed to be said. He just smiled weakly. He didn't even hear as the rest of the crew made their way out of their seats, joining them on the ceiling. He didn't even feel it when Jay rested her head in the junction of his shoulder and clung to his limp body. All he knew what that the darkness was coming for him again. And this time he met it with open arms.  
  
******************************************  
  
By the time Jaycera had awakened, she had totally forgotten where she was. All she knew what that she had slept dreamlessly... and for the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was going to be alright.  
  
She could feel Ryne's warm breath on her head, teasing her hair. She smiled softly, even though the expression was slightly out of place as she remembered where she was... and worse, why she was here. But she didn't care. Not right now anyway. Thinking about it would only ruin the moment. All she wanted to do was forget and enjoy this little slice of peace and happiness while it lasted.  
  
Contentedly she nuzzled her head on Ryne arm, almost feline like, and held him closer, seeking the comfort and feeling of rightness she'd found here. She knew she loved him... even though she could never explain nor understand it. In truth, she didn't want to understand it. Just know that it was.  
  
Ryne stirred slightly, slowly coming to back to consciousness. Jay let him go, sitting up and sighing. Nothing good could ever last anymore. She hugged her knees to her chest, letting her mind wander away from where she was... back to lost homes, broken promises, and a little six year old girl trying to find her place in the world. Did she even know that place now? She shoved these thoughts away with a shake of her head.  
  
"I trust you slept well."  
  
Jay would have screamed and jumped out of her skin if she hadn't grown accustomed to the Silvite girl's tendency to startle her. Jaycera looked over at her and rolled her eyes. She didn't know if this was just the way she was or if she derived some sick kind of pleasure out of it. If it was the latter, she showed none of it on her face... which didn't really tell her anything.  
  
However, she was surprised (and a little embarrassed) to find that everyone else was up as well, standing behind Celeste with their silver suits gone and their backs loaded with gear.  
  
"Umm.. yeah I did actually..." She stammered, turning a light shade of red.  
  
"I'll bet." Rafe scoffed, shifting the pack further up his shoulders. Ryne sat up, blinking his eyes furiously and rubbing the sleep sand out of the corners of his eyes, mumbling something incoherent.  
  
"Y'know, that was quite possibly the cutest thing I ever saw." Wallin said, mock-serious to Jerem, who only smiled and shook his head.  
  
"Well," He said finally, "Now that you two kids are up, we can get out of here before we get caught and probably killed."  
  
This statement brought Ryne to full consciousness.  
  
"How long have we been asleep?" He asked hurriedly.  
  
"I figure about a couple of hours." Jerem said pointing at Celeste. "The native here's about the only one who stayed awake. She said we still have a little while before they come breathing down our necks."  
  
"Why aren't they here already?"  
  
"Do you have any clue how often space debris hits the surface of the moon?" Celeste interjected, taking over the technical aspects of the conversation. "They probably dismissed our landing as such."  
  
"They why are they coming at all?"  
  
Celeste shrugged casually. "Most of the smaller stuff gets deflected of the artificial atmosphere. They'll want to check out anything big enough and with enough momentum to punch through. It just isn't all that high on the list of priorities right now."  
  
"Right." Ryne said, actually understanding her which was a rarity when she went into her speeches... which were also a rarity in themselves. He pushed himself up off the ceiling, giving Jay a hand up as well. "So where are we headed anyway?"  
  
"To my home, Colony Eternum."  
  
*************************************************  
  
Leos swung the blade around experimentally, the exquisite weapon slicing through the air with little or no resistance. He'd never been much of a swordsman, but being a trader had given the eye of a connoisseur. This was the most excellent sword he had ever seen... with one exception maybe. And that was his family heirloom, the Sword of Delasaris as he'd now come to know it.  
  
The sword was legendary here, and a technological marvel anywhere. It was forged in Arcadia's golden age, by none other than Delasaris himself. As a simple, solid blade its edge was unmatched by anything that had ever come into existence. But it was so much more than a simple blade. Delasaris had grafted the blade to his will and being through the silver moon crystal embedded in its hilt, and could only be used to it's full potential only by him and even then only when his emotions were driven trough the crystal. When it was activated his emotions were channeled into the blade, igniting every atom of the unknown alloy into a fire so hot that nothing could stand in its way.  
  
Which explained why Jaycera was able to cut through Gideon's armor, killing him and his metamorph.  
  
"An elegant weapon, yes?"  
  
Leos turned and bowed stiffly to his mentor.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in, Master." He apologized, in a manner than was becoming more and more automatic. Vaulrik waved it off nonchalantly.  
  
"Soon, there will come a day when you will be on the receiving end of apologies and will find first hand how annoying it can get."  
  
"But Master, you're the one who taught me this way."  
  
Vaulrik smiled, endearingly. "Tradition. Here everything is based upon tradition. Our whole society is under the yoke of tradition and ritual."  
  
"If it's oppressive, why don't they break out of it then?"  
  
"People would rather suffer in what they know than work to improve their lives."  
  
Leos nodded, but the full weight of the comment didn't really hit him. He'd been working hard to improve his life ever since he was young, and voiced this fact to his master who merely chuckled.  
  
"You're one in a million." He said, leaving it at that.  
  
"Two in a million," Leos said absentmindedly under his breath. Vaulrik met him with a quizzical look.  
  
"Two in a million? What do you mean by this?"  
  
Leos bit his lip uncomfortably. When he'd first come to be in this place he had made it a point to tell these people as little as possible, remembering that it was they who'd been destroying the sacred places of the world, and they who'd shot down his ship over Ixa'Taka. As time progressed however, he found himself opening up more and more to these people who'd accepted him as one of their own, and indeed, more than their own. He was a hero. Their savior. And he was beginning to enjoy the role.  
  
"Well, there are two of us..." He said, leaving it mysteriously at that. If there was one thing he was learning from his master, it was mystique.  
  
"A sibling I presume." Vaulrik stated, catching onto his train of thought quickly.  
  
"Yes, a younger sister." Leos replied, not feeling the need to hold anything back any longer. His sister was in no danger with these people. In fact, she would be better off to come here, with him.  
  
"And where is this younger sister?"  
  
"Probably back on Arcadia, with Ryne."  
  
The last comment caught Vaulrik's full attention.  
  
"Ah, the Shrine Silvite boy."  
  
"Yeah, that would be him."  
  
Vaulrik studied Leos' face for a moment, as if try to gauge the truth of this new revelation. Satisfied, he clasped his hands behind his back and started walking out of the training room. Leos shook his head and threw his blade into the air, liquefying in mid-flight and taking the familiar shape of a young metamorph. Selrea bobbed contentedly behind as he took stride behind his master.  
  
"Where are we going, Master?"  
  
"To the surface." He said simply, his cloak billowing behind him at his steady pace.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It will be revealed all in good time, my young apprentice."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Ryne followed closely behind Celeste, who was walking through the dense foliage with a steady, confident stride, walking with purpose. A month ago Ryne would have been struggling to keep up, especially with his load of supplies hanging from his back. Now it was easy. He wasn't even breathing hard yet, though he estimated that they'd been walking for nearly half of a day, though that was difficult to tell in the dusk light. The sun hadn't seemed to move from its position at all, whenever they could see it through a clearing in the brush. It was merely a sliver of light on the horizon. Celeste seemed to be following it though, so maybe its unchanging position was a good thing.  
  
He was glad that he'd been allowed to sleep, even though something told him that it had been the wrong thing to do. Celeste had rationalized it, though he couldn't help but wonder if she was wrong. His head wanted to believe her and leave it at that, but something in his heart kept screaming that they were in danger, and he was to blame.  
  
Ryne tried to push these thoughts from his head, replacing them with his hopes of finding his mother and father and escaping this place. He was only marginally successful. Instead he found himself thinking of how he might have doomed his parents.  
  
"Stop that."  
  
Ryne turned his head to Jay, who was walking in pace beside him. He tried to give her a "Whatever do you mean?" look.  
  
"Hm? Stop what?"  
  
"Stop thinking and start talking." She said, shifting her pack onto her shoulders. Ryne rolled his eyes and grinned slightly.  
  
"Says the girl who doesn't stop thinking."  
  
"Hey, I figure leave it on all the time, or never turn it on in the first place."  
  
"Why not turn it on when you need it?"  
  
"I'm sure you weren't thinking about anything vastly important." Jay teased, "We're in the middle of nowhere... again."  
  
"Why are we always walking?" Ryne asked rhetorically, "I think you're bad luck... this is the second time we've crash landed in the middle of a jungle."  
  
"Yeah, well at least this time there aren't any natives tying to cook us and eat us."  
  
"Nope... capture and kill us maybe, but probably not eat us."  
  
Ryne jumped over a fallen log, nearly tripping over a branch that he hadn't seen on the other side. He shifted the pack back onto his shoulders and continued the steady pace. The small talk was really helping him get his mind off of everything.  
  
"Am I the only one who feels kinda ignored around these guys?"  
  
Ryne turned and grinned at Wallin with a cocked eyebrow.  
  
"There could be a reason for that."  
  
"Are you tryin to say somethin?" Sly asked, beating his chest. "You wanna take this outside?"  
  
"Outside what? The fake atmosphere? You first."  
  
"Watch it bub, or you'll be suckin some space."  
  
"Would you guys just shut up!" Rafe finally interjected, "I mean it would be fine if either of you were serious, but right now you're both just getting on my nerves!"  
  
Wallin gave him an accusing stare. "What do you mean it would be fine if we were serious?"  
  
"I mean things would be a lot more peaceful if you were sucking vacuum."  
  
Sly made a show of clutching his chest and miming a beating heart suddenly stopping.  
  
"Ouch... that hurt... right in the old pumper..."  
  
"Could all of you please just knock it off." Jerem said, his voice full of exasperation. "I didn't sign on for this mission to baby sit."  
  
"You know, if word could kill... I'd be pretty bruised."  
  
"You could use a little more color." Ryne said, ending the verbal spar on a comical note.  
  
The rest of the "day" went pretty uneventful. After a couple more hours Ryne could tell that the sun was indeed rising, and that they were working their way toward an outer edge of the dome that protected the colony. He roughly estimated that they were about five or more hours away from the edge... if that was indeed where they were headed.  
  
All he was sure of right now was that he was beginning to get exhausted, stumbling more and more often, his pack weighing heavily on his back. Celeste just kept on walking though, the rest of them locked into a fierce competition to see who would be the first to go down. Ultimately, none of them would remember who was the first. For once that first move was made, everyone else immediately followed suit. There was no dinner, no banter, and no consciousness. Everyone fell asleep as soon as they hit the ground. Sleeping anywhere was something that Ryne was beginning to excel at.  
  
****************************************  
  
Leos watched his sister sleep. From the shadows of the forest he had watched her as she waited until everyone else was asleep, and curled up in the crook of Ryne's arm and fell asleep.  
  
It was hard to describe how he was feeling. Part of him wanted to rush up to her and embrace her, telling her that he was alive and so happy to see her. Part of him wanted to just watch her, marveling at the women he now saw her to be. And another part of him loathed where she was.  
  
Leos had never been a man of jealousy. Personal possessions meant little to him, and the only person he had a lasting relationship was Jaycera. But as he watched from the darkness as the only person he loved found comfort in another, his blood began to boil. And for the first time since his parents had been killed, he allowed himself to hate. Unabashed and fully, he hated Ryne with everything he was.  
  
He had finally fully accepted his place as a Silvite.  
  
*****************************************  
  
This time, Ryne was the first one to wake up. He went to stretch and yawn, but found that there was a head resting in the junction of his arm. He wasn't really surprised to find Jay there, sleeping contentedly and soundly, her sweet breath now noticeably hot on his face.  
  
He wanted to let her sleep, he really did. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well lately, and she looked so peaceful and gorgeous when she was sleeping. But the other would be waking up soon... and he didn't want them to find the here like this. Gently, he brushed the hair out of her face and shook her slightly, her ice blue eyes fluttering open just inched from his face.  
  
"Morning, Sunshine."  
  
Jay stretched and yawned, rolling down his arm and ending up in a sitting position somehow, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  
  
"Some morning, it's not much brighter than when I fell asleep..." she grumbled, rolling her neck. Ryne sat up and shrugged.  
  
"Well, count your blessings." He said, smiling slightly. "Look up in the sky."  
  
Jay met his gaze with a look of puzzlement, then turned herself around and scanned the horizon.  
  
"What exactly am I looking for?"  
  
"You're looking too high up." Ryne said, pointing toward the horizon. "Just to the left of the sun, you can't miss it."  
  
For a moment Jaycera didn't realize what it was she was looking at. It was a little higher than the sun was, peeking up almost halfway over the horizon. Half of a blue-green orb swirled over with white. Just looking at it gave a calm, soothing feeling, which only increased when she realized what is was. Arcadia had never looked so beautiful to her before. 


	19. Chapter 18 Reunions

Chapter 18 - Reunions  
  
It took everything in Ryne not to yelp and lurch out to save Celeste when she walked out of the containment bubble that held atmosphere on the silver moon, and feel the horror as her body seemed to explode on the other side. Every instinct in his body screamed suicide, but the rational part of his mind knew better. She had just told them what was going to happen, why was he on such high alert?  
  
Perhaps it was because he felt so exposed in the barren wastes they had been traversing for the last half hour of the final stretch of their journey. They had finally left the cover of trees, something he'd grown used to in the forests of Ixa'Taka, and now here on the silver moon. To not have the protection they offered felt wrong to him somehow, though he rationalized that if they could see him, he could see them. That thought was slightly comforting.  
  
"Group suicide, step right through..." Wallin stepped to the edge, waving his arms grandly toward the spot where Celeste had walked through to her apparent death moments earlier.  
  
Ryne took a deep breath, calming his instincts no matter what they were screaming at him, and stepped through the atmosphere bubble.  
  
His first sensation was that of weightlessness and total darkness. The darkness abated when he opened his eyes, an eternity of blue flooding his vision as if he were in the middle of an endless, cloudless sky. He almost panicked until he saw Celeste floating not ten feet away from where he was. He was about to call out to her when he was hit from behind and sent tumbling into her.  
  
"Hey, watch it!"  
  
Ryne spun to around to see Wallin and Jay, floating just behind him.  
  
"Oh... fancy meeting you here!" Sly said, grinning nervously. "So... are we dead yet?"  
  
"Far from it."  
  
Celeste finally acknowledged their presence, turning to them with an almost pained expression on her normally emotionless face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jay asked, her own face echoing the anxiety the rest of them all felt.  
  
"I'm not sure..." she said, struggling with the words. "It feels like my head is about to implode..."  
  
"AS IT VERY WELL MIGHT IF YOU DO NOT EXPLAIN YOURSELF."  
  
Ryne winced and held his ears, wondering how much the human ear drum could withstand before they popped.  
  
"A friend of yours?" Wallin asked, pulling his fingers out of his ears.  
  
"WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT OUTSIDERS?"  
  
Ryne was ready this time, already having his ears covered. He idly looked around, not really expecting to find the disembodied voice. Something told him they weren't even in a physical realm, and as his eyes explored the vast ocean of blue he remembered the descriptions his mother had painted in his mind of the great halls of knowledge of the Silvites. In them the physical body was split into its component atoms while the mind was embodied in the halls. By making certain requests a Silvite could travel to various points in history or merely travel long distances through them, their body shot to the place of their request. This made it much more than just a huge warehouse of knowledge, but also a system of transportation.  
  
"They are my companions. Without them I would not be here at all." Celeste said coolly.  
  
"THEN YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE... UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR MISSION."  
  
"Listen you hot air bag, I brought you something much better than the moon crystal of the green moon." Celeste snapped, motioning toward Ryne. "I brought you a silver moon crystal."  
  
Silence reined for what seemed to be an eternity. Wallin tried to lighten the mood a little, with moderate results, mostly getting shushed by Jerem who looked at if he'd had one too many shots of cheap Valuan loqua.  
  
"Good to see you again, Celeste."  
  
Under normal circumstances, Ryne might have jumped out of his skin. Being where he was however, had pretty much readied him for everything. It first appeared as a cyclone, gradually funneling down and taking the shape of a male head and body. His garb was simple, consisting of only a plain white tunic and a sash around the waist. His hair was white, though not because he was a silvite, but from natural old age. His eyes flashed warm, though behind the blue fire sat the weight of his office, his concerns and trials tucked safely where most could not see them.  
  
Celeste smiled, and for the first time she didn't hold anything back. She truly was happy to see this man.  
  
"Hello again, Master Philia."  
  
*****************************************  
  
Leos' fist slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree, the wood taking the brunt of his anger splintering with the impact. Taking a deep breath, he unclenched his glowing hand, the red flame that had assited his anger dissipating back into the elements.  
  
"You have anger." Vaulrik stated plainly, "That is good. Your anger will manifest itself through the moons now, giving you greater power."  
  
Power... that's what all it was about, wasn't it? Nothing else mattered, just the acquisition of more power. Let everything else fall back. Besides, with more power you could just take them back when you want them, couldn't you?  
  
Leos let out a cry of rage, letting the moons channel themselves through his body. Every cell felt alive with unimaginable power. His whole body shone with wildfire, the flame licking but not consuming. He felt like a god, able to command and do as he wished when he wished. And as a god he made a choice.  
  
With a single-minded purpose he began to march toward the entrance port of the rebel stronghold, the bodies of those just passed still projected as dead in a heap on the other side. It was just an illusion, and a clever one at that.  
  
"What do you intend to do, young Delasari?"  
  
Leos stopped right in front of the edge of the atmosphere, every hair on his head standing straight up, even though it has grown to a considerable length while he'd been here. He didn't turn to his Master, just breathed raggedly like a man on the edge.  
  
"I intend to take back the only thing important to me in this world."  
  
"Then you best not go after her."  
  
Leos turned on his angrily, his flame shield doubling its size and intensity.  
  
"WHY?! Why should I not?!" Leos yelled, his voice augmented through his rage. "If my anger gives me power, why not use it?"  
  
"What good is power without control?"  
  
With that simple statement, Leos hit the ground, the flame encasing his body extinguishing.  
  
"I will not have you rushing to you death. You are far more useful to me, and your people, alive."  
  
***********************************************  
  
Ryne was vaguely aware of a breezy sensation as his body seemed to come apart, starting at his feet and all the way up to his head. He thought it odd that he did not lose awareness as his component atoms sped through a vast tunnel of blue light. All of his senses were intact, though he had no actual body to speak of. To make things even more odd, he could see the atom clouds that were the rest of his group as well. He almost wished he could close his eyes, but to have done such he could have needed eyelids. Or even eyes for that matter.  
  
Finally, there was a bright flash of white light and he was reunited with his body. He shook his head and flexed his fingers, briefly checking to see if everything had made it through the journey intact. Then he watched as Jaycera, and the rest of the boys appeared with the flash of rings of light.  
  
The room they stood in was circular and white, its only contents being the six travelers and the older man. In front of him stood Celeste and the man she'd greeted as Philia.  
  
"So, just who are your companions, and why have you felt the need to bring them here?" The older man asked, looking the motley group of young adults over. Ryne scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably.  
  
"The white haired man is the last free Shrine Silvite, Ryne Vyse." Celeste said, jerking her thumb over at Ryne. "The girl is Jaycera Delasari. She is seeking vengeance for her lost brother..."  
  
"Jaycera Delasari?" Philia interrupted the introductions, "The sister of Leos Delasari?"  
  
Jay blinked, a blank look on her face.  
  
"Well... yeah." She answered after a moment of silence. "But how would you know that?"  
  
"Your brother has quite a standing among the purists here. He just appeared one day a couple weeks ago and was discovered the be the last ancestor of Delasaris..."  
  
"Wait a second," Celeste interjected, "You mean to tell me that they're the heirs of Delasaris?"  
  
"Why yes, the DNA of the young man has already been tested. And if Jaycera here really is his sister, she is as well."  
  
Jaycera's mouth hung open, her mind working furiously to sort through the information overload. Her brother was alive? How could that be possible? She had seen his body disappear into deep sky with her own two eyes. He couldn't have possibly have survived.  
  
Yet he had.  
  
And more than just that, he was here.  
  
Jaycera's heart soared. She hadn't lost her brother after all. He had been right here the whole time. Part of her wanted to be angry with him for not coming to her, or somehow letting her know he was alright, but she couldn't help but to feel elated.  
  
"Where is he?" She asked, timidly, though barely able to contain her excitement. "When can I see him?"  
  
Philia looked at her sadly and shook his head.  
  
"I am afraid that will not be possible."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He is with the enemy now." Philia stated plainly, "They laud him as a hero, their next great leader. After all, he is the heir of Delasaris, the reason we are all here in the first place."  
  
Ryne couldn't help but to be confused along with the rest of the crew of the Last Hope. He was ecstatic that Leos was alive, and happier even more for Jay, who wasn't so alone after all. But everything about Delasaris just went over his head. He knew nothing of him, unlike half of the people in the room seemed to.  
  
"Wait," Ryne asked, holding his hands up. "What exactly are you guys going on about? Who is this Delasaris guy, and what does he have to do with anything?"  
  
"He has to do with everything..." Philia started, openly astonished that there were people who didn't know the story. "He is the reason we are all here."  
  
"Yeah, we caught onto that, now could you please go on, with a little more detail?" Rafe asked, his exasperation easy to see.  
  
"Gladly," Elder Philia said, smiling a little, "It all began about one hundred years before the Gigas were created, when all men were equal under the light of the Silver moon..."  
  
**********************************  
  
It took the man, who was a great storyteller, almost an hour to recount the tale of the early Silvites, the first of the moon crystals, and of their hero, Delasaris. Ryne was fascinated by it. Here were his origins, or rather, the origins of his people. He'd grown up under the impression that all Silvites were a part of the silver moon crystal. When he'd met Celeste, he'd learned that wasn't true. Now he was learning just how it had come about. And he was enraptured by it. And as much as he was pulled into it, the more he was ashamed of it.  
  
It was the fault of his people that they were up here, stranded for generations, when all they had wanted was equality and justice. It was the fault of his people that they were now "reclaiming" Arcadia for their own. It was the fault of his people that the Rains of Destruction had even fallen.  
  
What do I have to be proud of? He wondered, Mine is a lineage of bloodshed and destruction, cruelty and deceit...  
  
"I am truly sorry..." was all that Ryne could manage, "On behalf of my people... well... all two of us."  
  
"It is not yours to be sorry." Philia said smiling sadly, "You cannot take the blame for the sins of your ancestors, just as we of Eternum cannot be a part of the sins of our brothers."  
  
Ryne smiled gratefully. "Thank you."  
  
"Well, I do believe I've never been introduced to you three gentlemen." Philia said, facing the crew of the Last Hope.  
  
Wallin stepped forward and thrust out his hand.  
  
"My name's Wallin Daragain, Valuan but otherwise completely average Arcadian." He said, with a hint of theatre flair. Philia smiled warmly and shook his hand firmly.  
  
"Rafe Falloy." Rafe said, with a half-hearted salute.  
  
"Jerem Derrik."  
  
Philia nodded, acknowledging the two. "And you are all Valuan I presume?"  
  
"Yeah, the three of us are anyway." Jerem said, motioning toward Rafe, Sly, and himself. "You already know about the rest of them."  
  
"It's a pleasure to have finally met Arcadians." Philia said, sounding as if he meant it. "Now, if all of you would like to follow me, I have a surprise for young Ryne Vyse."  
  
Ryne's mind boggled. How could they have a surprise for him? Had they known he was coming? And most importantly, what could it be? He voiced these concerns to Philia, who simply chuckled and said,  
  
"No, we were not expecting you. We just happened upon something which might interest you..."  
  
*********************************************  
  
As Ryne walked into the Silvite infirmary he almost didn't recognize the person sitting on the cot. His shaggy brown hair was almost should length, most of it now gathered into a ponytail. Scars covered arms which told of former glory, though they had been left to wither from lack of use. On his face however, there was only a solitary scar under amber brown eyes which spoke volumes about the mental age of this man. These eyes had seen joy, pain, despair, boundless hope, but most of all these eyes reflected the iron will of a man who refused to give up, no matter the cost.  
  
This man, this small fragile man, had once saved the entire planet from the brink of destruction.  
  
This man was his father.  
  
Once again, Ryne wanted to cry... but men don't cry. Slowly, he walked to the edge of the cot, sitting down next to the man who'd taught him everything he knew about the world, the man who'd raised him from childhood, the man who'd taught him how to be man, and gathered him into arms, grabbing fistfuls of his white medical robe and holding on as tight as his grip would allow. Vyse didn't say anything; just put his arms around his son, stroking his thick white hair.  
  
"I missed you, Dad..." Ryne whispered, his voice soft and emotional, his face buried in his father's chest.  
  
"I know, Son... I know." Was his only reply.  
  
************************************  
  
War is building. Rebellion is in the air. Troops prepare for an invasion, or "reclamation" as they call it. The small planet of Arcadia has seen such things before; all have come and gone, seeming to last no longer than the morning dew. This too will pass quickly for the world and its six guardians.  
  
The moons know the outcome. They know all. They know their aid will be asked for on both sides, and it will be given to both sides. They have only a marginal influence on the affairs of humanity. Though there is still influence. Their aid will result in death, yes, but the death comes willfully. It comes for the greater good. They will do all to ensure that this death comes, to permit the survival of the whole.  
  
For even the gods of this world can die. It had already happened once.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Jay lay on the small cot she'd been allotted by Elder Philia. A million thoughts raced through her head, but they all kept coming back to one thing.  
  
Leos is alive... And he's my enemy...  
  
She couldn't bring herself to believe it. He was the only family she had left, and now she might just have to fight against him for the liberty of the Arcadia. Were the moons so cruel that they would pit two orphans against each other?  
  
No, she couldn't believe that either. The moons had nothing to do with it. She couldn't pin the cruelty of men on the gods. Men were the ones who'd twisted morality to fit their own wicked hearts. It was men who'd committed such atrocities such as the Rains, the Valuan Coliseum, and the creation of the Gigas for war.  
  
Men were to blame for the corruption of her brother.  
  
But the fact of the matter was that her brother was alive. What did it matter that he was on the opposite side now? He was alive! And as long as he was alive, she would devote everything in her being to his redemption. What else could she do? What else did she have to live for?  
  
She'd been living for vengeance... now that vengeance had been replaced by hope. Hope that there might still be a future for her and her family. Hope that there might be a future for her world. Hope that her love for her brother would bring him back from the place he'd found himself in.  
  
Jaycera sighed and rolled over on her side, hitting the button beside her cot that turned the lights off. This still didn't leave the room in total darkness. The white circular room seemed to glow with a light of its own, and she thought she could see lines of blue light through the opalescent walls and floor. It was slighting annoying, but it didn't keep her from sleep. She'd learned to be able to sleep anywhere.  
  
As she was drifting to sleep, images of her parentless childhood flashed through her mind. How could the older brother who'd always looked after her and loved her turn against everything she was now working toward?  
  
************************************  
  
In a small round room, in the Silvite infirmary there are two men awake in the middle of the night. One is a father, worn thin and weary, though energized by the vibrancy of the other man, his son. One is a man, brought to this point prematurely by forces out of his control. One is recounting his tale while the other is silent... for his story has already been written. This is no longer his story. His part has been played. It is time for his son's story to take center stage.  
  
It is different from his, but the same. Circumstances are different, but the effects are the same. They are both stories of boys becoming the men they will be for the rest of their lives. And as the father looks at his son, who is now a man, he loves the person he was and the man he has become.  
  
For he is no longer Ryne Vyse... he is Ryne.  
  
************************************  
  
"Are you trying to out-do me son?" Vyse asked his son with a smile, running his fingers over the jagged scars running down his cheek.  
  
"Well, you know..." Ryne said, grinning slyly. "I heard about how many woman you attracted with yours, so I figured three would triple that..."  
  
Vyse laughed heartily squeezing Ryne's shoulder. "What happened to the girl shy kid I raised on Crescent Isle?"  
  
"Oh, he's still around I guess." Ryne said, grinning sadly, "Though not as much anymore. He was forced to grow up pretty quick."  
  
Vyse smiled, and hugged his son yet again. "I'm proud of you, Son. You turned out to be a much more mature and able man than I ever was."  
  
Ryne didn't know what to say to that. He just hugged his father tighter, letting go reluctantly.  
  
"So..." His father said finally, "How has your luck been with the girls? I noticed you came with two. That's a mistake in itself, trust me."  
  
Ryne laughed. "I don't think Celeste is a problem... she's from around here."  
  
"Ah, enough said." Vyse said, nodding his head. "So, what about the other girl? The pretty one with the curly black hair?"  
  
Ryne smiled, his cheeks reddening. "Well... it's kinda been a roller coaster ride. But I pretty much told I'd marry her if we ever got out of this mess..."  
  
The older man cocked an eyebrow, a look of surprise covering his face.  
  
"Wow... you are trying to out-do me." He said finally after studying his son's face and finding his to be completely serious. "So, when do I get to approve of this girl?"  
  
"Well, I guess technically, later today." Ryne said, pointing at the time which was displayed over the door.  
  
"Who woulda guessed?" Vyse said, wincing. "But now that you mention it, this old body sure is feeling the whole four in the morning thing." He added, straightening up, his back cracking along the way.  
  
"Get some rest, old man." Ryne said affectionately, leaving the cot and heading toward the door. "We've got things to, people to see, and family to save."  
  
Vyse smiled sadly, laying back but propping himself up on his elbows.  
  
"I love you, Son."  
  
"I love you too, Dad."  
  
And with those words, Ryne left his father to get some sleep, though he knew he probably wouldn't be sleeping tonight. There were too many things to think about, and much too much to learn. Something told him that Elder Philia was up as well, and he wanted to start planning ways to get to his mother.  
  
*************************************  
  
The days are numbered. The moons know, but cannot tell. It is their job only to give aid. For they cannot decide the fate and actions of mankind, nor can them condemn them. It is not their place.  
  
Even at the price of death... 


	20. Chapter 19 The Last Silvite Civil War

Chapter 19 - The Last Silvite Civil War  
  
Both sides prepare for war. One side to defend their right to retake lands stripped away from them so many generations ago... the other to defend the ideals of the hero that gave his life for the cause of equality.  
  
Which side is right? The moons do not care.  
  
***************************************  
  
Ryne was tense. It didn't matter that two of the people he loved most in the world were standing at his side. It didn't matter that they were on their way to rescue the third person. It didn't matter that he was decked out in so much armor he looked like something sub-human. He was still tense... and afraid.  
  
"Yours is the most important job of all." Elder Philia had briefed them all earlier. "It is your job to sneak into the Sylvias complex and disarm the Zelos Fist weapon, while the rest of us will surprise them with a full frontal assault. Today, there is to be a Silvite Civil War. The last Silvite Civil War if I have anything to say about it."  
  
To him it almost felt like there was an entire army behind him, ready to help free his mother, though he knew the fact that it was his mother had very little to do with it. They were on a mission to destroy the weapon that gave their brothers the edge, to take the power out of their hands and stop them before their forces had a chance to invade. Many people were going to die today... and all for an ideal.  
  
It was beyond him how all these people could give up their lives for this one idea... that all people were equal and had the right to be free. It was a great thing to believe and defend, but to give up your life seemed to be a bit of a waste. Life was the most important thing to Ryne. The life of the people he loved.  
  
Ryne ran his finger around the edge of the neck brace/armor that protected his neck and jaw-line and ran up about halfway up his head, leaving most of his wild white hair exposed. They'd tried to put a helmet on him, but he'd drawn the line there. He'd never been one to wear any armor in the first place. The fighting style his father had taught him all focused mainly on offence and dispatching your enemy quickly and efficiently. He was taught not to get his at all... and his father was an excellent teacher.  
  
"You look a little uncomfortable, Tiger." Jay said, grinning at him from his right.  
  
"Easy for you to say," Ryne said, looking her over, "Looks like they gave you mostly leathers."  
  
"Well, what can I say? They couldn't stand to cover up my perfect figure."  
  
And as he looked at her more, he began to wonder if maybe there was little truth to that statement. Her outfit was made more for flexibility and speed, rather than for full protection. It would give her a little protection from glancing blows and projectiles, but any close quarters conflict would be disastrous. Her edge was in her deadly aim with knives, a skill she'd first unveiled in the jungles of Ixa'Taka, taking down the beast that had attacked her brother, and given Ryne his scars with three well placed blades. She wore two bandoleers full of throwing knives she'd found in the armory.  
  
The only weapon her wore was the Sword of Delasaris, as it had come to be known to him. The warriors who surrounded him all stared at it and whispered in hushed tones when they'd first seen the infamous weapon. It was strapped in a new back harness that had been specially made for it yesterday, the day they'd first discovered that it had come with him and had survived the ages in perfect condition. It was true that only Leos and Jaycera could use it to its full potential, but he'd grown fond of it and Jay had said she'd rather him carry it anyway. He felt somewhat insect- like with all the pieces of dull black armor covering his shoulders, torso, and even his legs and boots. They'd told him it had been made for optimum flexibility and stealth, while allowing maximum defense as well. He was pretty sure they'd lied about the flexibility part, but it was very quiet.  
  
His father opted to go for his signature twin cutlasses, which fit his unique fighting style better than anything else. He was wearing less armor than Ryne which spoke volumes about his skill with his weapons of choice, and was wearing clothing that could only be described as "Silvite- like". It consisted of a white tunic with bronze trim which came down to his knees though was slit up to his waist, a thick cumber bun thing and a clasping belt, with pants, boots, and a chest-plate that covered his chest and abdomen. He looked every bit the hero that had saved the planet once.  
  
The rest of the crew of the Last Hope were covered in just about everything that had been available. They had decided that there was no way they were going to be left out of the action... or rather Wallin decided for them. Ryne thought he was just edgy about being left with the strange, emotionless people they'd been staying with. It was like putting a clown in a group of morticians... you just don't do that to a clown.  
  
"Well... when do we get this party started?" Wallin asked, rocking on the balls of his feet, and trying as best he could to clasp his hands behind his back, though his armor wouldn't allow it.  
  
"We're being transported directly onto the battlefield, Sly, or weren't you listening when we were briefed?" Rafe asked, knowing the answer was 'no'.  
  
"I tried, but you know how I get with droning voices going bla, bla, bla, bla, bla..." He replied droning on into nothingness. "You'd think they'd be even a little excited about rushing to their deaths, but nooooo, all we get are sullen, living statues..."  
  
"Not all of us are so sullen." Celeste said, finally joining their group, topping the body count to nine people. Ever since she'd come back to this place she called home, all of the ice queen nature that had become so cliché for her had melted away... which was odd, because everyone else in the place acted exactly as she did when they'd first met her.  
  
"Well, good to see that you've finally decided to join us." Rafe said, smiling slightly. "I thought you'd decided to fight with your people on the open battlefield."  
  
"I was trained to be a spy, not a warrior. I decided my skills and knowledge of where you are going to be would be better appreciated here." She said simply, "Besides, I lack a weapon."  
  
"Why don't you have one of those weird, floating, blobby thingies?" Wallin asked innocently, noticing the countless number of creatures bobbing about the room like huge flying tadpoles.  
  
Celeste smiled sadly. "I did once..."  
  
"Umm... Sorry if I brought up a touchy subject..." Wallin said, turning red from embarrassment for the first time Ryne had ever seen.  
  
"You didn't," she said, pausing for a moment, "It's just that Tylen was the only friend I had before he died and I met all of you..."  
  
"I know what you're talking about." Vyse said unexpectedly, "My wife once told me that her metamorph, Cupil, was her only friend after Ramirez left to find the moon crystals."  
  
"The same Ramirez who brought the Rains of Destruction on Valua was a friend of your wife?" Celeste said, blinking her eyes in a surprised expression.  
  
"That's a new one on me..." Rafe said, whistling.  
  
"He wasn't the same person then." Vyse explained, "When he actually got to Arcadia he came into contact with a corrupt Valuan admiral named, Mendosa... well... long story short, he saw all the bad that was in mankind, rather than the good things. His thinking was tainted by his bad experiences, then Galcien came into the picture and somehow won his loyalty..."  
  
"And he ended up killing thousands of people, my family included." Jerem interjected.  
  
"Yes, he did." Vyse said, fixing the man who was around the same age as him a steely glare. "And he paid for his sins with his sanity and his life."  
  
Wallin clapped his hands, fending off the tensions that were building. "Well, what does it matter anymore? It's ancient history! Let's go make some history of our own, shall we?"  
  
"I couldn't agree with you more, Wallin." Vyse said, adjusting the belt around his waist that held his twin cutlasses into place, "I always did like the 'making history' part better than the 'studying history'"  
  
Ryne was about to ask how much longer it was going to be before they were going to get shot out to wherever it was that they were going to shoot them, when the whole huge circular room resounded with a humming sound, the walls taking on a luminescence of their own.  
  
Again he found himself in a great ocean of blue, though the thousands of soldiers he's expected to be here as well were unnervingly missing. He supposed it wasn't all that surprising when he thought about it. The only people here with him were those who were going to the same place he was.  
  
"Good luck, Team Last Hope." Were the last words he heard from a disembodied voice as his body came apart at the seams, shooting through space to be rebuilt elsewhere.  
  
*********************************  
  
"Ready all troops for war." Vaulrik said to his second in command, a white haired young man with ice blue eyes.  
  
"What's going on, Sir?" Denison asked, his eyes wide with wonder.  
  
"The rebels are on their way here right now, traveling through the void." He answered briskly, his long stride working its way toward the atrium, Denison and Leos trying to keep up on both sides.  
  
"But sir, how could that be? The rebels have only used hit and run tactics, why would they attack in full power now?"  
  
"Their cause is getting desperate. Their aim is to stop us from taking Arcadia back, and we ship off this rock tomorrow, do we not?"  
  
"Yes sir, I shall inform the soldiers, sir." The second in command said, leaving Vaulrik's side and hurrying to the warrior's barracks.  
  
"Master, if I may ask, where are we going?" Leos asked, looking noticeably antsy.  
  
"You know full well where we are going, don't play the fool with me, Boy."  
  
"Yes, but... why?"  
  
Leos' body slammed against a grey, curved wall, joints cracking as he hit.  
  
"If you cannot use the instrument the gods gave you, what good are you to me?" Vaulrik spat, his hand raised in an odd looking clutch. "Think boy, THINK!"  
  
"I might be able to think a little more clearly if there were any blood going to my brain right now..." Leos managed to work out, a small trickle of blood beginning to flow from his nose.  
  
Finally, his body was released and he caught himself before his body hit the floor, spitting out the blood collecting in his mouth. He felt his master place his hand on his head, whisper a word he couldn't hear, but knew to be 'Sacri'. Suddenly all the blood from his nose and mouth dried up, returning to his body and veins, the internal injuries that had spawned the flow healing as well.  
  
"Your friends," Vaulrik explained, "Are coming for the woman."  
  
"Fina..." Leos said, lifting himself up from the floor.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Her name is Fina." Leos said, finally coming to his full height, and looking his master full in the eyes.  
  
"It doesn't matter, your sister and 'Fina's' son will be there."  
  
Leos' heart skipped a beat. He hadn't realized it, but yes, anywhere Ryne was going, his sister was sure to be. All he needed to do was to sit and wait for her and she would come to him. Then all he'd need to do is convince her to join him here...  
  
"Come, my apprentice. We have much to prepare for."  
  
*****************************************  
  
On the surface of Arcadia's Silver Moon there is an army. They are well trained, as are all on the face of this moon, though their resources are limited. Then there is another army, appearing with a flash of white light. It is larger than the first, though not by much. There is a distance of exactly one hundred meters between them, and for a while they face off, neither one moving. Then, in a call for readiness, thousands of floating creatures on both sides join with their partners, and thousands of blades spring forth from the arms of every being on the field with a communal hiss.  
  
The last war has begun.  
  
********************************************  
  
"A door?" Wallin said incredulously, "All this beaming about and they still use doors?"  
  
Ryne had to admit, it looked a little odd here when all they'd been exposed to were what they called "Void Travel" and the only place in which they'd stayed was pretty much open everywhere.  
  
'The Door', as Wallin had so eloquently put it, was sunk into the ground and they'd had to climb down about a hundred feet just to find it. It about ten foot in height and twenty in length, and made of a metal that surprisingly looked and felt like iron. Vyse had rapped on it lightly, telling them that it was about a foot thick as well.  
  
"This is part of the original penal colony that your ancestors set up for us." Celeste said, filling them in on some more history. "I was meant to keep up inside and out of trouble when the supply ships came."  
  
"Well, it's doing a great job of keeping us out." Rafe said, kicking at the dirt. "It doesn't look like it's been used since they put it in."  
  
"It hasn't... We sealed it from the inside to protect us from the monsters that seemed to find their way in through it."  
  
"Great..." Jay said, her sarcastic nature finally kicking back in, "What are we supposed to do now? Knock?"  
  
"More or less." Celeste said, smiling. "Ryne, give your sword to Jaycera."  
  
Ryne shrugged and pulled the large, though lightweight, weapon from its back harness and passed it gently to Jay, who took the hilt with the blade pointing toward the ground. She fixed the Silvite woman with a questioning gaze.  
  
"What am I supposed to do with this thing?"  
  
"Get angry." She answered simply.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Get angry." She repeated. "This sword is made to react to your emotions. When you're angry, afraid, or any other danger sense is kicking in, this blade with be activated."  
  
Jay remembered the night that Gideon had finally caught up with them and had tried to kill Ryne. In a last ditch effort to protect herself and the people she loved she'd pulled the weapon and slashed it at her adversary, the weapon seeming to come alive in her hands. She'd dismissed it as merely an illusion created by her fear and anger.  
  
"So all I have to do is feel overly emotional?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, "Are you sure this thing can handle it?"  
  
"We can only hope so..." Ryne muttered, earning him a death glare.  
  
"Keep talking, Tiger, and you'll find yourself a kitten."  
  
Vyse laughed, "I like your Jaycera a whole lot, Ryne."  
  
Jaycera grinned, but remembered what it was that she was trying to do. She took a couple deep breaths, closed her eyes, and let every dark memory from her past come flooding into her. She saw her parents murdered before her eyes. She heard the anguish of two children rocking in a life raft, thinking their short time in life was already over. She smelled the scent of cooking human flesh from the jungles of Ixa'Taka. She tasted her own blood on her lips. She felt the smooth contours of the perfect sphere of blue moonstone that hung from her neck.  
  
When she opened her eyes, she saw through tear soaked eyes that she was now holding a blade ablaze with energy. She smiled as Ryne wiped the tears from her face for her, her hands glued to the hilt.  
  
"Well..." She said, sniffling a little, "Let's knock."  
  
*******************************************  
  
In the bowls of the Silver moon there are two groups, destined for conflict. But their time has not come yet. Their fight for survival has not yet begun. Yet on the surface, it is quite another story.  
  
The two armies have turned into one teeming mass of human and metamorph, the size of which was beginning to dwindle as both sides met with casualties. The first, the smaller army, fights with an unbridled passion they have been taught since birth to tame. It is now unleashed on the battlefield, their upbringing all but forgotten in the heat of the moment. It is this that gives them the slight edge. But it is still only slight.  
  
The second army is gaining ground, if by nothing more than sheer numbers and cold efficiency. The first may fight with passion for their cause, but the second is a machine, its only purpose to destroy all opposition.  
  
The moons already know. In this war there will be no real victor.  
  
*******************************  
  
Elder Philia watched the battle through a sensory hood which could show him the battle through the eyes of any one of his soldiers he chose. Right now it was one of his older commanders, recognizable as such by the slight golden hue of his armor. He had stopped in the middle of all the fighting to stoop down and take note of one of the fallen. The commander cradled his head in his lap as the dying living armor started to peel away from his face, showing the bleeding, gasping face of a youth no more than fifteen years of age. The commander reached a hand down to stroke the face of the boy whose life was slowly bleeding away from him. Philia noticed that the living armor that should have been encasing it had been peeled away.  
  
Suddenly, without warning, his view was ripped away from this particular commander and shifted to another of his higher ranking officers. It took a moment to realize why this had happened. The commander had been killed, his dying son in his arms. He had left himself vulnerable to the enemy and had paid the ultimate price for it.  
  
The sound of klaxons filled the air and at first Elder Philia didn't realize that this noise wasn't coming from the battle, but from Colony Eternum itself. He threw off the sensory hood and hit a button on the panel he was sitting at.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked, fear rising within his belly, gripping it in a knot.  
  
"Elder, they've found the Colony...!" a rushed, panicked voice answered, cutting off into static.  
  
"How could that be? The only way in is through void travel..."  
  
"It's quite simple really, Traitor." A new voice answered, one that gripped the knot in his stomach even tighter. "We followed your visitors, tracking their movements through the void. After that, all we needed to do was start digging."  
  
Philia hung his head in shame. How could he have been so stupid?  
  
"The only people here are either too young or too old to fight." He called back, trying to reason with them, "I don't care what you do with me, just spare the children..."  
  
The only answer he got the screams of children.  
  
********************************************  
  
They made quick work of the door, the blazing sword cutting through it like a hot knife through butter. Ryne had to admit that the sight of Jaycera with a weapon like that scared him a little.  
  
"Remind me never to tick you off again... and to hide that thing after this all over" He commented, as she finished her work with a swift kick, knocking the metal plug inside with a resounding thud. She gingerly placed the hilt in Ryne's hands, the blade returning to normal with his touch. She affectionately patted his cheek.  
  
"Like that would save you." Jaycera quipped, grinning in the manner of a feral beast.  
  
"Have I mentioned that I really like this girl of yours?" Vyse said for the umpteenth time, a sly grin on his face.  
  
"Yeah Dad, I'm beginning to think that you like her more than me." Ryne answered, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Now how about we crash this party?"  
  
The rest of them all voiced their agreement, and they started their way down a long, dark corridor that looked and felt ancient. Celeste instructed Ryne to take off his right glove, and as he did so she tossed him a refined silver moon stone, casting a little light in the room that hadn't seen humanity since the golden age of Arcadia. The walls were gray and plain, bearing the mark of function over form. It looked in every way to be a prison.  
  
"Wow..." Vyse said whistling low, "I haven't seen a place this gloomy since the old Valuan Grand Fortress we busted out of... twice."  
  
Ryne had never had a chance to have known Valua as it was under the rule of Empress Tedora, but this was about the way he'd imagined it would have been... all gray and lonely, with little hope shining through. Valua had come a long way under the rule of Enrique.  
  
Celeste seemed to know her way around, and when asked about it she merely shrugged and told them that she grew up here and had explored this older portion of the colony extensively with her playmates. Few people ever came in it anymore however. It had been abandoned long ago to shunt off their past of being prisoners. Though that fact was still inescapable, as there was no where for them to go other than out into the wilderness that had been provided for their renewing oxygen supply. After a while they had felt more at home underground.  
  
After a while of passing through hallways which all branched out into individual open, but cell like, rooms they came upon what looked to Ryne like a downward thrusting, roughly carved tunnel.  
  
"This is where we began to build for our own." Celeste explained, leading through it with Ryne closely in tow. "From here on all we need to do is find the atrium, which should be as close to the center as possible."  
  
*********************************  
  
The fighting has gone on for more than two hours. Both sides begin to tire, though neither is willing to give up. The first army has been worn thin, their passion's edge beginning to dull. They now fight with the ferocity of desperate men, wanting only for survival... though they entered this area knowing full well that none of them would be returning. They would die martyrs, thought they do so with the serenity of men who know they've left their families to safety. None of them know of the fate that has befallen their home.  
  
Even if the battle had not been hopeless to begin with, they would have been slaughtered either way. They have no home to return to. They will die martyrs.  
  
***************************************  
  
The room in which they found themselves was dark and slightly damp. The only light source seemed to be a strange glowing orb, though the light was somewhat obstructed by a shadowy figure from inside. Vyse shivered, and Ryne could almost taste the rage and raw anger that was outpouring from his father like a fountain.  
  
"This is the place..." He said softly, "Where I was tortured in front of your mother."  
  
Ryne couldn't help but to shiver as well, though he didn't know if it were from the cool damp, or the fact that his father's blood and pain had been shed here. Slowly he walked toward the machine that took up most of the space in the room, of which the glowing green orb seemed to be the center piece. It was raised about ten feet in the air, two claw-like pieces connecting at both ends of the orb, with tubes running inside of it and disappearing into the base of the structure. A small cat walk could be taken up to the orb's edge, and Ryne felt unexplainably draw to it like a moth to the flame.  
  
"Go any closer, and I'll kill you." An unnervingly familiar voice said in a loud commanding voice. Ryne turned to see a man completely covered in living armor, A tall man with slicked back black hair standing behind him.  
  
"Welcome, my friends, to the Sylvias complex." He said grandly with a feral snarl, "We've been expecting you for quite some time now..." 


	21. Chapter 20 The Death of a God

Chapter 20 - The Death of a God  
  
Ryne held his blade in a ready position, his feet planted in the L shape his father had taught him to give himself the best balance possible for any oncoming attacks. His armored opponent only seemed to cock his head, and then lifted his right forearm, a blade forming from the living creature that protected him.  
  
With a side-glance he saw his father, Jaycera, and the others lining up next to him preparing for the fight in their own ways. Vaulrik sneered at them.  
  
"Are you so weak that you must pit nine against two?..."  
  
With that single statement and a raised arm, blue waved seemed to flow from his fingertips, bathing the whole group in a slippara spell. Without thinking Ryne raised and extended his right arm, facing his palm toward the spell and somehow pulled it in, his silver moon crystal glowing with blue energy. The rest of them, however, fell into the deepest sleep they had ever known.  
  
"Just as I thought..." Vaulrik said softly, "There, that should even the score a little."  
  
"Oh yeah, two against one, real great odds." Ryne mocked, still in shock over the massive display of control this mysterious man seemed to possess. Vaulrik looked at him, amused.  
  
"Yet you had no problem coming for us nine against two." He retorted, "I am not as ruthless and cold as that. I will not be fighting in this arena."  
  
"You're gonna have to do something after I'm finished with your little friend here, cause you're next."  
  
Vaulrik gave him the most devious smile that Ryne had ever seen, and then disappeared into what looked like a huge metal ball, a ripple effect disturbing the surface where he had walked through. Ryne put him out of his mind for now. He may have been the bigger fish, but this one still needed to fry.  
  
He squared off with his unknown opponent, his blade held in a loose two handed grip in front of him. The other held the blade one handed and assumed what almost looked like a Valuan fencing position, though not quite. Instead of his left hand being anchored on his hip, as would be the Valuan style, his arm was outstretched behind him. His foot placement was also rather spread apart, keeping him low.  
  
This told Ryne a couple things. First, that being low he would favor torso and leg hits, meaning he didn't want him to die instantly... which was good enough news. Second, while his spread out stance would offer him much more balance, it would also make him less maneuverable and he would try to keep everything close quarters, which gave him an advantage, since his armor was nearly impenetrable and sword was more rapier like and his own the size of a good sized claymore. He would have to stay further away and make him reach if he were going to bring this one home.  
  
"You know what; I think that pretty little silver face of yours would make a nice trophy to hang in the den." Ryne said, trying to distract him while starting off the spar with a downward slice that would have cleaved him neatly in two had his own blade not come up to meet it.  
  
"When did you get to be such a talker?" His masked opponent asked, pushing against their locked blades with a greater strength than Ryne possessed. Ryne jumped backward, letting his adversaries' blade fall forward, throwing off the balance he'd been trying to achieve. Ryne took advantage of the situation, bringing the hilt of his sword down on the back of his helmet, flooring him.  
  
In one smooth motion Ryne jumped, spun, and raised his blade, landing in a downward swoop that should have halved his head down to his shoulders. All he got were hands that absorbed the shock of the vibrations running up the blade. He almost dropped his sword, but didn't even have time to do that for he was soon on the ground himself. The other fighter, who should have been dead by all rights, had rolled, knocking his legs out from under him.  
  
Ryne continued the momentum, rolling further than the fall alone would have taken him, feeling the harsh caress of a blade digging into his shoulder piece. He leapt up to see his opponent's blade swiping toward his mid section. Without conscious thought he brought his own blade up to protect his waistline, the hilt of his sword raised in front of his face.  
  
"Must be nice to have armor like that." Ryne said, taking a couple steps back to dodge a blow that would have hit shoulder.  
  
"Promotes longevity." The other man answered, making a lunge with his weapon which Ryne deflected with his wide blade, counterattacking with a hit to the chin which made his opponent stumble backward.  
  
There was something oddly familiar about the voice that kept reflecting his jibes with a smooth manner that frustrated Ryne. This man wasn't distracted by any of the comments that he was making, and actually seemed to be enjoying the exchange. That worried Ryne more than anything else... the fact that he was calm and confident, even after Ryne had showed his superiority in the ways of the blade. He was beginning to have serious doubts about weather he was going to be able to take him down alone.  
  
He shifted to the offensive, taking his chance with an even swing to the pelvis region with the flat of his blade. The armored man moved his blade to intercept it, though it couldn't stop the momentum that it had built up. The man was knocked through the air, hitting the side of the machine, which was now beginning to flash rather brilliantly. Ryne thought briefly of the other man who'd disappeared into the liquid metal and mentally cursed to himself.  
  
But he couldn't worry about that right now... he had a battle to win. Using the small amount of time he'd been able to win himself he opened himself to the powers of the silver moon, feeling its aid rush to him, its powers gathering in the palm of his hand.  
  
"Curia!" He yelled, pointing his fingers toward his father. His father was bathed in silvery light for a moment, then as it began to fade the living legend pushed himself off of the floor, his hands going to the twin cutlasses hanging at his sides and clutching them in his signature style. Seeing his son he rushed to his side.  
  
The silvite warrior stood, shaking his head to clear his thinking. While the armor he wore would protect him from his body being physically touched by the blade, it couldn't save him from the force of the blows. If he took many more hits like that he would be brain dead soon. It took him a moment to realize that Vyse had joined the side of his son and that they were now rushing him.  
  
Fear gripped him as he realized that he would be pitted against the greatest swordsman on the planet of Arcadia, the man who had beaten Galcien, Ramirez, and all six of the Gigas. He looked briefly at Jaycera, seeming to be sleeping peacefully and anger began to fill him. If they beat him then all was lost. No matter what, the planet of Arcadia was going to fall to the might of the Silvites. It was inevitable. The only way to survive and prosper was to take their place in the upper tiers of their hierarchy, their sacred lineage guaranteeing their place. If he died however, she would stay with Ryne... and he would always oppose them, even unto the point of death... and hers too. He couldn't let them beat him. Her life depended on it.  
  
Rage filled him like he'd never known. Using the techniques passed to him by his Master he let the moons channel themselves through this anger, manifesting itself in a physical manner. Energy of every color licked his body in multifaceted flame that encased his being.  
  
The looks of surprise that covered the pirate and his son were classic, though short lived. They would finish what they had come here to do. Vyse leapt into the air, channeling the power of the moons into the twin cutlasses and unleashing it with two slashes with the words "Cutlass Fury!" Ryne used a special trick of his own, using the moons power to propel his body into the air, coming down on top of Leos with downward slice that carried with it the weight of the moons themselves.  
  
Leos had felt the efforts, certainly, though they hadn't had the desired effect that Ryne and Vyse had hoped for. His energy shield had protected him from the brunt of the damage. He had come out unscathed while the two other men were panting for breath. Their attack should have been able to cleave through his armor, but they hadn't been counting on the shield he'd erected.  
  
Now it was his turn. Through his rage he called upon the moons for their strength, and they granted him his wish. He rushed at the two who were standing in a weak defensive stance.  
  
"Fist of the Gods!" He yelled, spinning his body and his blade with it.  
  
A wave of sharp energy flew from the tip of his weapon, catching both scarred pirates with its force. Ryne and Vyse both flew backward, hitting the far wall. Ryne reached down to where the blast had impacted, feeling pressure on his lungs. His armor hadn't been penetrated, but there was a two inch deep dent in his chest plate making it difficult to breathe. He pulled on the buckles which held it on, loosing it from his body.  
  
Vyse had not been so lucky. The blast had caught him on the side, and the only armor he'd been wearing had been a chest plate. The energy had bored a deep laceration, breaking ribs and damaging internal organs. Ryne rushed over to him and cringed when he saw the wound. No short healing would mend the broken bones. He was out of this fight. Ryne knelt by his side, ripping off the bottom part of his father's white tunic and pressing into his side. Vyse winced when Ryne touched it.  
  
"The price you pay for arrogance." He said softly. He tried to get up, but Ryne held him down.  
  
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he said softly, though forcefully.  
  
"You can't take on this guy all by yourself." He reasoned. Ryne looked at him for a moment, knowing the look of grim determination on his face, and knowing that it would cost him his life.  
  
"Listen, you need to rest." Ryne said, "Use this time to try and wake up the others."  
  
Vyse furled his brow, "You know I've never been good with magic."  
  
"It's all I can ask of you right now."  
  
Ryne left his father's side, letting him reason for himself the logic of that thought. His adversary was no longer encased in his energy shield and had his elbows on his knees, panting. Ryne didn't let him rest for much longer than he already had. He called upon the powers of the yellow moon, the lightning power of electrulen drilling him into a metal panel.  
  
Leos felt his rage return in full force. This time however, he didn't use it to create an impenetrable shield; he used it to increase his speed. The blue moon sent its powers rushing through his veins like hot vapor, giving him muscles an inhuman quickness. He rushed at Ryne, his sword held in front of him like a javelin in a charge so quick that Ryne almost didn't see him coming. He just barely dodged the blade, but got caught by Leos' momentum, sending them both tumbling to the ground and knocking Ryne's sword out of his hands and landing beside Jaycera's unconscious body.  
  
Meanwhile, Vyse sat to the side, sweat beading on his forehead. He'd never been terribly good at casting spells, but given enough time and concentration he could usually work one up in a time of need. And this was definitely a time of need. Slowly, he felt the power of the silver moon trickle into his body, finally gathering enough of it to cast a small spell. He outstretched his hand toward Jaycera, bathing her body in silver light.  
  
Ryne kicked Leos' body, pushing him off and Leos away from him, giving a nice ten foot gap. Ryne gasped for breath for a moment and then hopped to his feet, looking around to find his lost blade. He didn't leave his back to Leos for too long though, turning around to face him, and immediately having to jump to avoid having his legs taken off.  
  
Ryne placed his hand on Leos' chest, at the same time summoning the power of the red moon. With a cry of "Pyrulen!" Leos' body hurtled through the air. Ryne didn't even check to see where he'd landed, just ran as fast as he could toward his sleeping friends and where he thought his blade would be.  
  
Leos had recovered quicker than he'd planned, his speed allowing him to cut Ryne off. Ryne skidded to a halt, then was slammed into the ground by the power of the blue moon. Leos plunged his sword deep into the right of Ryne's chest, hitting the metal floor as it passed through.  
  
Ryne was in shock. The adrenaline rushing through his veins numbed his body, but the sight of the silver blade piercing his body and sound of air rushing out of his right lung making bubbles in his own blood was almost too much for him. In that moment, he knew he was going to die. He'd skated death too many times already and it had finally come for him.  
  
His opponent seemed to pause for a minute, almost seeming to regret what he had to do. Then his left hand began to morph into something axe like, lining up with his head.  
  
"I'm sorry it had to end this way." The armored man said, truly sounding sorry, "But it's the only way left now..."  
  
Ryne heard the hum of a new energy, and half expected it to be his enemy cooking some nastier way for him to die. Except that he almost appeared as surprised as he.  
  
"Think again."  
  
Leos barely had time to turn and recognize Jaycera's face before he felt a burning sensation in his midsection. Jaycera had cleaved his torso from his legs and pelvis. Time seemed to slow for Leos. His thoughts were racing, most of them jumbled an confused. Except for one thought... he'd failed to keep Jaycera safe. He'd failed at the only thing in his life that mattered. And he was dying.  
  
Jaycera knelt next to Ryne, cradling his head with her hands and kissing his fiercely.  
  
"Don't you ever do that to me again." She said, coming breaking the kiss as forcefully as she had started it.  
  
"Trust me, I don't plan on it..." Ryne said weakly, coughing up blood that was collecting in his lungs.  
  
Vyse saw the whole thing and smiled. Somehow, his son had formed a bond in a month that would last a lifetime. No matter what the rest of the world might think, He was a greater man than he could ever hope to be. His son was a true legend.  
  
Holding the makeshift bandage to his side, he walked over to the couple, Jaycera trying to heal his internal lung wound. After a minute Ryne wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and touched the new scar on his chest.  
  
"Great," he mumbled, "It looks like a third nipple."  
  
Jay laughed, then looked over at where the body of Ryne's attacker lay, the living armor flowing off his body and gathering into a puddle in between his torso and legs, looking like mercury in a puddle of blood. Then she saw his face.  
  
Jaycera screamed, a shrill, high pitched scream looking in shock at the twitching, gasping body of her brother.  
  
"Hey... sis..." He said between gasps, managing a weak smile and a laugh, "You... always did... check up on him... before me..."  
  
Jaycera dropped to his side, cradling his head in her lap, sobbing.  
  
"Why...?" She asked through her tears. Leos managed to hold his smile.  
  
"I did it for you... I did it to... save you." Leos' body stiffened, his eyelids becoming heavier with each moment. "I love you... Jay."  
  
"Don't leave me, Leos..." Jaycera pleaded, "I already lost you once, don't leave alone again."  
  
"You're not alone..." Leos said, his voice becoming wispy, "Ryne..."  
  
Ryne leaned over, taking Leos' hand in his and squeezing it.  
  
"Promise me... promise me that... you'll protect her..." Leos charged him, "With your life..."  
  
Ryne looked into Jaycera's tear soaked eyes, "I promise."  
  
"Salrea..." Leos' metamorph, who'd been named for his mother, made its way up to float near his side. "I want you... to stay with... my sister."  
  
The creature seemed to bob its agreement.  
  
Leos stiffened again, "I guess the moons... do have a sense of humor."  
  
And with that, Leos Delasari, last remaining male of the descendants of Delasaris, died by the hands of his own sister.  
  
Ryne felt the hand go weak in his then placed it down at his side. Slowly he stood, facing his father.  
  
"Where is Mom?" he asked, picking up the blade that Jaycera had dropped at her brother's feet.  
  
Vyse pointed at the green orb, which was glowing even more fiercely, the sounds of servos working filling the room now.  
  
"Go get her, Son. You've earned the right."  
  
Ryne nodded, then ran at full tilt toward the huge machine, imbuing his blade with the power that moons granted him and leapt into the air, his sword held in a two handed grip behind his head. He brought the blade down with all the strength in his body, shattering the glass. The green nutrient fluid burst out through the hole, knocking him backward and back on the floor where he'd started. He was soon back on his feet, climbing up the side of the machine and finding his mother in the bowl of the bottom part of the glass.  
  
Her body had withered to almost nothing. Ryne didn't know if it was from the powers that had been channeling through her body, or from being starved. Her arms were covered in IV's and an oxygen mask covered her face. Ryne ripped it off of her, and pulled the needles out of her veins. Fina gasped her first breath of real air in almost two months and clung to Ryne with all the strength left in her feeble arms.  
  
Ryne picked her up and walked to the edge of the bowl, jumping down to his father and Jaycera. Vyse ran to them, taking his wife from his son's arms and holding her, her head buried in his chest. And for the first time, Ryne saw his father cry.  
  
It shocked him. In all his years, he'd never seen his father shed a single tear. He'd grown up under the impression that real men didn't cry. And now here he was, an emotionally shut up kid who couldn't even cry when his mother, who had been gone for months, had finally been returned to him. He wasn't a man because he'd stopped crying. He was just a messed up kid, who didn't understand emotions.  
  
Jaycera loved him, though right now he couldn't understand why. He didn't even know what real love was until right now, watching his parents rekindle their own. Why had he asked her to marry him? How did he really feel about her? He looked down at the beautiful girl holding her dead brother, crying because one of the only people she ever loved had left her. Would he even have cried if she had died today?  
  
Ryne couldn't take it anymore. Tears he'd long thought to have dried up flowed again, making up for lost time. He gathered both of his parents in his embrace, holding them tight and not wanting to let go. Then he remembered Jay.  
  
She was standing off to the side watching the reunited family with red eyes, holding onto the blue moonstone around her neck. Ryne smiled, feeling true joy for the first time in too long, and pulled her into their huddle. To anyone watching it would have seemed like they held each other for forever, though to them it hadn't lasted long enough. They were forced to break the embrace when the sound of turbines filled the room.  
  
"What is that thing?" Ryne yelled over the noise of the machine.  
  
"It's the Zelos Fist." His mother answered, "Vaulrik was preparing to destroy Soltis while you were fighting."  
  
"So what's going to happen now that you're not in it?" Vyse asked, a look of concern on his face.  
  
"The energies it puts out won't be able to be harnessed. This whole installation will be blown up."  
  
"Sooo... how do we get out of this one?" Ryne asked, the news not affecting him as much as he'd of thought.  
  
With that question Jaycera's new metamorph popped up and started to squeak self importantly. Fina, now standing on her own two legs, listened intently.  
  
"She says that she has been equipped to transform into a ship, if need be."  
  
Vyse looked at her with an expression of piqued curiosity.  
  
"I don't remember Cupil ever being able to do that."  
  
"Cupil was never genetically altered." Fina explained.  
  
Selrea started to expand, taking the vaguely egg like shape that Ryne had come to know so well. Now that he actually got to see the transformation taking place, he saw that it wasn't completely ovoid, but had two scoops on the back that he took to be engine nacelles.  
  
"All right, I guess we just load up now." Jaycera said, "Let's get the guys in first."  
  
They decided to leave Rafe, Wallin, and Jerem sleeping. It would make it easier on them. Ryne and Vyse each got the bigger two, which were Jerem and Wallin, Jay and Fina each grabbing one end of Rafe and tossing him into the ship through the liquid metal, Jay with a little smirk on her face as if fulfilling some internal fantasy. Then Ryne got Celeste last.  
  
"I'm not going back." Fina said softly after all of the crew had been loaded into Selrea. Vyse and Ryne both looked at her as if she'd gone nuts.  
  
"Are you crazy? You'll die here!" Vyse exclaimed.  
  
"More people will die if I don't stay here."  
  
"Stop talking like that, Mom, we're getting out of here while we still can, you included."  
  
"Ryne, if we just leave the only person who will die is Vaulrik... the invasion will still happen."  
  
"We can fight them on the ground, dear, now let's go!"  
  
"You know the Arcadians don't stand a chance..." Fina said softly.  
  
Vyse paced nervously, "There is no way I'm going to let you stay here and be killed. We're finally a family again! I'm not going to let that crumble under my feet. Even if I have to take you back by force, I'm not going to let that happen."  
  
"If that's the way it has to be..." Fina said sadly, touching her husband on the forehead and saying the word "Slippara."  
  
Ryne caught his falling father, looking at his mother with a look or surprise.  
  
"You're serious about this aren't you?"  
  
"I am."  
  
Ryne sighed deeply and threw his father into the ship. He ran a hand through his tangled, sweaty hair, trying to think of what exactly was going on. He'd just found his mother, and now she was telling him that he was going to lose her again.  
  
"I can't let you do it, Mom." He said adamantly.  
  
"Ryne, don't make this any harder than it already is..."  
  
"No, Mom, I'm not going to let you die after I just pulled you out of that thing!" He said, his voice rising in pitch, "The only reason I've been living these past months has been to find you!"  
  
"And you've found me, Ryne"  
  
"But you're going to kill yourself!"  
  
"It's the only way to save the people of Arcadia from death and enslavement!" Fina argued, her voice showing her rising anger.  
  
"But I don't care about them! I care about you!"  
  
Fina sighed. "Ryne, I knew I wasn't going to come out of this alive. Why do you think I told you look after your father? I need you to live, and if I don't do this you will be killed eventually."  
  
Ryne went to argue further, but Jaycera hit him on the back of the head with the hilt of a dagger she'd packed in her belt. She caught him before he fell and pushed him into the ship. Fina smiled at her appreciatively.  
  
"Thanks." She said softly. Jaycera smiled at the woman who would have been her mother-in-law.  
  
"I understand what you're trying to do." She replied, "And quite frankly, I don't want this thing to blow up while you two argue."  
  
"He never used to argue with me..."  
  
"I think he's been around me for too long."  
  
Fina smiled, "You love him, don't you."  
  
"Yeah... that's why I'm inclined to keep him around."  
  
The floor around them started to vibrate, deep rumblings coming from the Zelos Fist.  
  
"I think it's about time you were going." Fina said.  
  
"Yeah," Jay said softly, "I guess so"  
  
She turned to walk into the liquid metal of her new ship, but turned and took Fina into her arms.  
  
"Thank you..." She said into her ear, "Y'know, your saving the world twice is going to make it hard for future heroes to top you."  
  
Fina smiled then backed away, turning toward the machine and starting to climb up to the place where she'd been imprisoned for the past two months. Jaycera watched for a moment then stooped beside the body of her brother. Reaching back behind her neck she unclasped the necklace that her father had given her so long ago. She looked at it for a moment, unsure about what she was about to do, but knowing that she had to do it. Gently she lifted her brother's head, clasping the necklace around his neck.  
  
Satisfied, she stood up, leaving her past behind her.  
  
************************************  
  
On the Silver moon of Arcadia there are two women. One of them is a mother, and a wife. She loves both of them more than life itself. She loves them enough to sacrifice her life for theirs.  
  
The other is neither wife nor mother, though she still loves. She loves the white haired man she knocked out. She loves the brother she left behind. She loves the people of Arcadia. Her ship flies out of the hole that the Zelos fist would have fired out of... had it fired out at all.  
  
The woman in the machine calls upon the moons for their strength. This is what they have been waiting for all along. They give it to her, as much as she asks for, though they know it will result in death... the death of one of their own.  
  
As the power rushes into her she has but one thought, her family. They will miss her, and she will miss them and this is why she has to do this. She knows the pain of losing family. She doesn't want to let anyone else feel that pain if she can do anything about it.  
  
And so she gathers the energy, and instead of focusing it on in the planet of Arcadia, its intended target, she focuses it inward.  
  
To those in mid-ocean it is a sight they will not soon forget. Many will tell of the day the moon exploded, sending a rain of silver moonstones upon the scattered islands. The story of Fina, the Savior, will be well known. She will even be adopted by the Ixa'Takans as a new god.  
  
Though only a few will remember her as Fina, wife, mother, and friend. And they are the few that continue her real legacy. 


	22. Chapter 21 A Last Goodbye

Chapter 21 - A Last Goodbye  
  
Ryne let out a deep sigh as he saw Shrine Isle begin to peek through the clouds. He felt Jaycera's presence behind him before he felt her arms wrap around his waist and place her head on his shoulder. He smiled and reached up stroke her smooth, curly hair.  
  
"Are you alright?" She asked him.  
  
Ryne paused for a moment, then sighed and said, "Yeah, I'm alright."  
  
"Do you forgive me yet?"  
  
"Of coarse I do, I could never hold anything against you."  
  
Jaycera took a deep breath before she asked her next question.  
  
"Ry... Do you love me?"  
  
Ryne was silent for a moment. It had taken a week of soul searching away from Jaycera for him to sort through everything that had happened. He had been unsure about exactly how he'd felt about her, but now that everything had settled down he knew without a doubt.  
  
"I love you, Jaycera Delasari." He said, kissing her forehead softly, "You're my rudder and my anchor. Without you I'd be adrift and without direction."  
  
"Thanks, Ry... I needed to hear that."  
  
Ryne smiled softly and continued to hold the woman who would one day be his wife. He still didn't understand exactly how it had happened. And to be completely truthful he didn't care anymore. It was, and that was more than enough for him.  
  
It had been almost a month since they'd arrived back on Arcadia. Jaycera had piloted them right back into the middle of the Valuan launch room that they'd departed from, causing quite a stir as most of the people in the military instillation were half expecting to be facing an invasion.  
  
In the past weeks his father had not been the same man that he'd grown up with. Ryne had been spending most of his time at home with his grandfather Dyne, who Ryne had just missed at Horteka. The fact that Crescent Isle wasn't in shambles was mostly his doing. Vyse, on the other hand, had completely come apart at the seams. For a couple days after they'd returned to the island, he'd spent most of his time standing on top of the small hill just above the pond, leaning against the flagpole as if waiting for someone. Then one day he just left. With no explanation and no crew, Vyse stole off in one of the smaller vessels and hadn't been heard from in weeks.  
  
Ryne wasn't worried though. Arcadia was a big planet, but his father had seen almost every nook and cranny that could be known. He would be alright in time. He was just dealing with his grief in a different way that Ryne himself had.  
  
Ryne had spent the first week and a half being furious with Jaycera under the basis of her knocking him out so that his mother could sacrifice herself. Until one day she threatened to leave. Ryne didn't know what had snapped in him that he begged her to stay. All he knew that a couple of days later he was in a life raft sailing for a small island not far from his home where he'd camped countless times with his mother and father, with enough supplies to barely keep him alive. It was there that he fasted, spending all of his time trying to sort through the events of his life and putting his emotions in their place. He'd come back a put-together man.  
  
"There's another ship docked here." Jay said pointing out the mid-sized, though well equipped ship. There was no name on the back of the ship, but a pair of yellow wings. "I wonder who it belongs to."  
  
"I just hope it's not the Ixa'Takans again," Ryne said, shaking his head, "They've been hounding me to let them consecrate the shine as a temple of worship."  
  
"Well, you can't blame them I guess," Jay said, grinning, "Your mom did save the world twice. I don't think even their Quetya did that."  
  
Ryne chuckled and docked their small ship, The Last Heir, next to the larger vessel. Ryne had named the ship for Jay, as it had been a present for her. His "can you ever forgive me for being so stupid" present. It had a heck of a lot greater effect than the traditional flowers. He'd paid for it with the money that kept pouring in from all over the world by every gracious nation. His family had never had need for anything, and now the amount of gold they'd stockpiled was overwhelming. Ryne, in true blue rouge style, had decided to give half of it away to people who really needed it, and hide the other half for other rouges to have fun with.  
  
As he walked down the boarding ramp he could already see his mother's memorial among the other smaller stones that now littered the island. It wasn't too large, as Ryne had requested, but it was still the largest on the island. Izmael, who was miraculously still alive and more vibrant than ever, had come to him after he'd heard the news and demanded that he let him build it. Ryne had agreed, his only specifications being where it was to be built and the relative size. The rest he left to the builder's imagination... and what an imagination it was.  
  
It was a statue of Fina, sitting on a pedestal with her legs off to the side, wearing the Silvite dress she'd arrived on the planet in. Her gaze was fixed on the broken silver moon, which still hung adrift in pieces above the lands of mid-ocean. It was Izmael's most stunning piece of work yet, and as the little man had reported it completion Ryne could have almost swore that his eyes were misted over.  
  
As he approached the memorial, hand in hand with Jaycera, he noticed the other visitor kneeling in front of the memorial. Her hair was a stunning orange and pleated into a single thick braid which hung down into the small of her back. She was wearing a red captain's overcoat with only one sleeve and one glove, with a thick leather belt at her midsection. Slowly she stood, untying something from around her neck and placing it at the foot of the pedestal, then turned to leave. A little gasp escaped her as she noticed them, for she thought herself to be alone on the island.  
  
"I thought I told everyone to stay on the ship." She said as she walked over to them, but looked at them with a confused expression as she got closer. "But come to think of it, I don't remember hiring either of you."  
  
"That's because we're not part of your crew," Jay said, a little testily, "You're not the only one allowed on this island."  
  
The red headed woman with stunning amber eyes smiled, an expression that would get even a Nasr merchant to trust a Valuan.  
  
"I like you." She said, extending her right, ungloved hand. "What's your name?"  
  
"Jaycera Delasari." She said, taking the older woman's hand and shaking it.  
  
"So," She said a little suspiciously, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Same reason as you apparently," Ryne said, giving her an odd look, "To pay respects."  
  
"Ah, well, can't blame you there." The woman said, a sad smile on her face, "She was a good woman... a good friend."  
  
Ryne cocked an eyebrow at her, "Wait a second, do I know you?"  
  
"Y'know, I get the same feeling looking at you..." the red head said, cocking her head, "What's your name, kid?"  
  
"Ryne."  
  
The woman looked at him blankly for a moment, her amber eyes blinking in astonishment.  
  
"You're Vyse's kid?" She said, looking him over.  
  
"I'm not much of a kid anymore, but yeah." Ryne said, still feeling like he should know this person.  
  
"I shoulda known..." She said, a smile crossing her lips, "You look just like him... cept I was under the impression that your hair was white."  
  
Ryne ran his fingers through his newly dyed brown hair instinctively, keeping the move scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Yeah, I dyed it for this trip..." He said, smiling shyly. "Infamy can get a little old sometimes."  
  
"Tell me about it," The woman said, snorting through her nose. "I've been running from infamy for far too long."  
  
Ryne still looked at her with a puzzled expression, "You still haven't told us your name yet."  
  
"Aika, captain of the Wings of Gold," She said smiling and extending her arm to Ryne now, "I'm sure your father told you about me at some point."  
  
Ryne chuckled, finally remembering where he'd seen this woman before, "Yeah, I think you're a part of every childhood memory my father ever told me. You're still a part of the relief on the wall above the pond at Crescent Isle."  
  
Aika laughed warmly, "Yeah, I remember that thing." She sighed and went silent for a moment, then shook her head and smiled at him again, "Listen, I'd like to get to know you sometime but I have an old friend to find."  
  
"I understand." Ryne said, "But I expect you to come to Crescent Isle and catch up sometime. I think my dad would like that a lot."  
  
"Oh, I think I'll see your dad before that," She said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I know where he's hiding."  
  
"Bring him home then."  
  
Ryne walked past his father's old best friend. He felt a little odd about inviting the woman who'd competed against his mother for the affections of his father. But if there was anyone who knew his father as well as him mother, it would be this woman. Having her around might be the best thing for him.  
  
Ryne walked slowly up the memorial of his mother. Now that he could see it up close, he could truly appreciate how beautiful his mother really was. As he looked at her ever vigilant face, her gaze unmoving from the broken moon above, a small tear made its way down his cheek.  
  
"Do you want me to leave?" Jay asked, looking at him sympathetically. Ryne squeezed her hand  
  
"No, I think I need you here." He answered with a sigh.  
  
For a while he didn't say anything, just stood and gazed at a woman he would never see again in this life. He cried, but they were the tears of a man... for even men cry.  
  
A million things were racing through his head. Things he should say, things that he should do, things that he should have done. But mostly the only things going through his mind were memories.  
  
*************************************  
  
"Why do I have to learn all this crap?" a ten year old boy with wild white hair sitting cross legged on the ground, asked his emerald eyed mother, who was likewise sitting cross-legged on the ground.  
  
"Because Ryne," His mother explained, "This 'crap' could someday save your life, or the lives of your friends and family."  
  
The little boy screwed up his face, "Well it makes my head hurt."  
  
************************************  
  
"Ryne! Would you get off the flagpole!" The mother yelled, in rare form. The twelve year old gabbed the flag and rode it down, landing in a roll. "What did I tell about climbing the flagpole?"  
  
"Umm... you never said anything about the flagpole."  
  
"Yes I did! I told you not to climb it! It scares me to death!"  
  
"No Mom, you told me not to climb the elevator railings. You never said anything about the flagpole."  
  
"I swear, you've been spending too much time with your father."  
  
*******************************************  
  
"Come here and give me a hug, Ry."  
  
"Mom, I'm only going to Sailor's Isle with Dad." The thirteen year old squirmed, but gave his mother a hug anyway.  
  
"I know, it's just that someday you're not going to want to hug me anymore."  
  
The boy crooked an eyebrow and gave his mother a big squeeze. "That'll never happen."  
  
**********************************  
  
"See that constellation right there? That's the Sailor's Arrow." A father pointed out to his son.  
  
"I don't see it..." The fourteen year old says, just starting his astrology lesson.  
  
"See the three bright ones just above the Star Cup?"  
  
The boy squints for minute, trying to see what his father sees, "Yeah, I think."  
  
"See the triangle?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"That's a very important constellation." His father explained to him, "Can you tell which sides are longest?"  
  
"Yeah, the ones pointing north."  
  
"Exactly!" His father exclaims, proud of his son, "It never changes, it always points north."  
  
"So, it helps you get your bearings at night, right?"  
  
"Exactly! That's wonderful!"  
  
"Boys, I think it's time for the lesson to end." The mother calls from the tent she just finished pitching all by herself. "We're getting off this rock tomorrow morning, whether you like it or not."  
  
The boy looks over at his father, "Why's mom always so uptight whenever we go camping?"  
  
"I have no clue."  
  
*********************************************  
  
"Why do you always drag me along on your little crusades?" A testy teenager asks his mother, who looks at him endearing and pats his cheek.  
  
"Because... you're such a good boy who always does what his mother asks of him."  
  
He sighs, his annoyance abated by his mother's soft answer, "I still don't see why we do this every year..."  
  
**************************************  
  
Ryne wiped the tears from his eyes. He half expected the statue of his mother to come down off the pedestal and gather him into her arms. But it doesn't happen. And it will never happen again.  
  
"I'm gonna miss you, Mom..." He says softly. "I keep going over things in my head. Things I could have done. Things I should have done. Things I didn't do... But in the end it would have all ended the same. You did what you had to do. If you hadn't we wouldn't be free people right now. Mom, I just wanted to let you know that I love you, and I'll never forget you. Heck, the entire world will never forget you. But I also wanted you to know that I'm happy. And none it could have ever happened without you."  
  
Ryne squeezed Jaycera's hand and looked full into the sapphire eyes of his wife to be, a blue moonstone ring adorning her right hand.  
  
"C'mon..." He said softly, leading her by the hand back to their ship, "Let's go home."  
  
************************************  
  
Vyse watched the setting sun, his knees pulled up to his chest, his chin resting on his knees. Seventeen years ago he'd proposed to his wife from this very spot. Now, he was mourning her death. A lone tear started to crawl down his cheek, getting lost in the short growth of beard that covered his face.  
  
He'd lost track of how long he'd been on Lookout Point. All he knew was that his wife was gone, and he was rapidly running out of food and water... not that he'd had much of an appetite lately. He'd only brought enough for a week, but he knew he'd been out there much longer than that. He couldn't go for supplies, because he'd destroyed his ship upon arriving, not wanting anyone to see it and bother him. He wanted to die in peace.  
  
"I missed this place..."  
  
Vyse would have been startled and snapped his head around to identify the intruder, but he lacked the strength to do so. He turned his head around lazily to see a red haired woman in a long captain's overcoat.  
  
"Go away..." He said, wheezing through his dehydrated throat, "Let me die..."  
  
The woman stared at him hard, her amber eyes boring into his, "Sounds like the Vyse I knew already did."  
  
Vyse furled his brow, "Who are you?"  
  
"Oh c'mon Vyse, has it really been that long?" She said, grabbing two handfuls of red hair and pulling them straight out. "Scarecrow head, remember?"  
  
Vyse chuckled weakly, "Hey there Aika."  
  
Aika smiled, glad that she had gotten at least a little laugh out of him. It passed however, and her look became stony once more.  
  
"Vyse, what are you doing here?" She asked sternly. Vyse looked at her with hollow eyes.  
  
"I came here to think..."  
  
"Looks to me like you came up her to fade away and die." Aika scoffed, noting his lack of supplies, "What happened to you Vyse? What happed to the guy who never gave up?"  
  
"Like you said, he already died."  
  
"Died, or just lost in all your grief?" Aika asked, her voice harsh and berating, "Look, I know how much you loved Fina, believe me, I know. But you just can't run away from everything because you feel sorry for yourself. I did that and I ended up loosing the thing that was most important to me... yours and Fina's friendship. Now I'll never be able to reconcile with Fina, and I've been kicking myself for almost a month."  
  
Aika sat down beside Vyse, whose gaze had turned back to the sliver of light on the horizon. Aika watched it as well for a while, no words being exchanged between the two for what seemed to be an eternity. Finally Vyse broke the silence.  
  
"Remember when we were twelve and we were sitting up here watching the sun set, then you leaned over and kissed me while I was watching."  
  
"Yeah," Aika said, smiling, "I think it was the first time I ever saw you scared. You practically slid a hundred feet down the ladder."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Oh, you know I could never hold that against you." She said, bumping his shoulder slightly.  
  
They watched in silence as the sky turned black, watching the heavens appear star by star under the dim light of the broken moon above. Finally, Aika stood up and held her hand out to Vyse, who looked at it, leery.  
  
"C'mon," Aika said, "Let's get out of here and find that old Vyse."  
  
Vyse put his hand into hers, an old light returning in his eyes, weak, but there.  
  
"He'll live on as long as the people he loves remember him." 


	23. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
"Land Ho!" called the almost hoarse voice of the watchman from the crow's nest, the young boy sliding down the ropes excitedly, his hazel eyes shining under a mop of dirty blonde hair. "Captain, we're home!"  
  
The captain smiled at young Jeyr, his enthusiasm contagious. He'd picked up the orphaned fifteen year old at a Valuan colony in Ixa'Taka which had recently come under attack by a nomadic tribe. King Ixa'Taka himself had warned them and had offered them protection and sanctuary, but Valuan pride was still famous. They'd wanted to make it on their own, and Jeyr's parents had paid the price for their arrogance. Nonetheless, the boy was happy and energetic, giving the older crew someone to look after like a younger brother.   
  
The Captain himself was still a young man, though the white hair that graced his chin and forehead gave him the appearance of a man of far greater years. It was his eyes that gave away his true age. Their emerald depths shone with a fire that could not be stolen. In those eyes was reflected the soul of a man who'd faced great adversity... and had overcome it, with a joy that didn't seem logical.   
  
Ryne smiled and practically ran up the mast, hanging off of the upper railing of the crows nest, his feet propped up against the mast. He watched with a huge smile as the small island not far from Shrine Isle became clear through the mists. The small island that he had been stranded on now served as his home and the hub of Delasaris Shippping. He was no longer a pirate.   
  
"Sail over the top!" He yelled down to his helmsman, Robert, the man who was now married to the formerly stoic Celeste. Celeste had actually been a part of the crew of the New Hope, until she'd announced her leave of absence due to pregnancy. Ryne thought it a little funny that the woman who'd told him that feelings were irrelevant was now married and with child, but he'd decided long ago that the moons had a sense of humor.  
  
The New Hope came within twenty feet of the surface of the island, the hull nearly skimming the jutting rocks that their water source trickled out of. Ryne smiled mischievously, grabbed a free rope, and jumped, hanging off the side of his ship and ten feet above the shallow pool that covered most of the far side of the island. He let go of the rope, his long captain's overcoat whipping the air behind him, his hat coming loose and freeing the tails of his bandana. He smiled and tucked himself into a ball, crashing into the cool refreshing water below. His high-booted feet kicked the sandy bottom, hurtling him to the surface and life giving air which he took into his lungs with greedy gasps.  
  
"Well, someone's a little anxious to be home."  
  
Ryne shook his head like a dog, spraying water everywhere, plucking his floating hat out of the water. He waded out of the water, his clothes feeling like a hundred pounds. He shed the overcoat and wrapped his wife in his arms, kissing her in a way that told her she was missed.   
  
A tug on his pants interrupted the moment. Ryne broke the kiss to look down on a little girl of about six years of age holding a handful of his pant leg and looking up at him with the most amazing blue green eyes he'd ever seen. Her face was the essence of anticipation and excitement though half covered by her white hair, her small body hardly able to contain it any longer.  
  
"Wha'd'ya bring me, Daddy?"  
  
Ryne smiled and reached down to retrieve his coat, pulling something from the pocket. He knelt down so that he was eye level with his daughter. Holding onto two ends of a chain, he dropped the round silver moonstone attached to it, stopping it in between her eyebrows. The small jewel that seemed to be embedded there started to shine weakly, absorbing the power of the stone, making the little girl giggle. Ryne clasped it around her neck, looking up to his wife, seeking her approval.   
  
A smile crossed Jaycera's still beautiful face as a lone tear trickled down to her chin. Ryne picked up his small daughter, then wiped the tear off.   
  
"It's good to be home." 


End file.
